Woman dies in Coulls Hill crash

by Taranjah Yaw Tue Jan 28, 2014

What was expected to be a pleasant drive up the leeward coast to sightsee and visit relatives at Troumaca turned into tragedy for Victor and Brenda Hunt, and Maltina James their niece who lost her life,{{more}} when their SUV ran off the road while descending the steep incline of Coulls Hill in North Leeward.

The accident occurred around 11 a.m. last Saturday.

The fairly new Suzuki Swift reportedly went over the embankment and fell more than 60 feet onto the road below, then flipped over the bank and came to rest a further 50 feet down hill on its hood, held up by a slim fiddlewood tree.

Area resident Edward Lewis told SEARCHLIGHT that he was on the beach at Tromouca Bay when he heard a commotion then people began running to the scene and when he got there they had already taken Brenda out of the doomed vehicle but it was difficult to get Victor, whose seatbelt was still buckled.

Lewis said that ignoring advice he went onto the vehicle and tried until he was able to draw the seat backwards and Victor was taken out. The elderly couple were taken to the Chateaubelair Hospital by motorists who had stopped to observe. They were later transferred to the Milton Cato Memorial Hospital (MCMH) where up to press time Victor was in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU).

Maltina had remained in the vehicle but she was flung by the impact out of her seat into the cargo section that also had two folding seats.

The police along with fire department personnel using a variety of tools tried to cut into the vehicle to get the body out. With the advice and help of some civilians the vehicle was tied to a sturdier tree and tilted over and the body was eventually taken out. Doctor Francis Murray, district MD, examined the body before it was taken away by the undertakers.