The passenger in the pick-up that collided with a car at the junction of Sheriff and Garnett streets on Saturday evening, resulting in the death of four-year old Abeka Trotman, is claiming that the vehicle transporting the child caused the accident by trying to run a traffic light.
Anthony McKenzie says that contrary to police reports, the Tacoma had the right of way when the accident occurred.
The 24-year-old related that the pick-up was proceeding north along Sheriff Street at a green light when the car, which had just left the Royal Castle parking lot, turned into their path. Royal Castle is located on the eastern side of Sheriff Street, at the junction of Garnett. The car was trying to “beat the red light,” McKenzie stated, when the collision occurred.
He denied reports made that the pick-up was speeding, while stating that he averages they were traveling at a normal rate of speed, 40 kilometers. His recollection was that there was at least ten seconds remaining on the green light when they approached the junction.
McKenzie claimed that following the accident, their vehicle was surrounded by a group of persons, who beat and robbed them. He said he was robbed of his watch, and his acquaintance, the driver of the vehicle, was robbed of his gold ring, band and chain.
He recalled that he was forced to leave his friend behind and escaped from the group by going further up Sheriff Street, where friends came to his rescue. McKenzie said he was taken to the hospital, where he was admitted overnight. He sustained injuries to the back of his head, which required stitches, and also to his knee.
McKenzie related that his friend, who had been driving at the time the accident occurred, was rendered unconscious, and could not recall the events in question.
According to a police press release, the driver of the pick-up, a 19-year-old, had been inebriated at the time of the accident.
They reported too, that according to information received, the car, PMM 1426, was proceeding south along Sheriff around 10pm when it stopped at the centre of the junction. In the process of turning west into Garnett, the Tacoma, GPP 3500, which was traveling north, collided with the left side of the car.
The press release further stated that the child was flung from the car onto the roadway. She was pronounced dead on arrival after being rushed to the Georgetown Public Hospital.
Prior to the accident, the child had been seated in the back seat of the car with her mother, Abiola Trotman and another, Cheryl Williams.
An eyewitness recalled seeing the truck speeding along Sheriff before the collision. “I didn’t think nothing about it ’cause I thought he woulda stop,” the witness said, while claiming that the truck had jumped the light, which resulted in its collision with the car, which was turning at the time.
