Police reports indicate that Chapman was intoxicated and lying on the road at the time when the motor vehicle ran him over.

"From the enquiry so far it would appear as if the man was intoxicated and he fell on the ground and was lying in the road.  As the vehicle was passing the front wheel of the vehicle ran over the upper portion of his body.  He was taken to Alexandra Hospital and succumbed to the injuries on the morning of April 7," said Head of the Traffic Department on Nevis, Corporal Hazel James.

Corporal James said that an autopsy was performed yesterday Tuesday, April 10 by the resident pathologist from St. Kitts Dr. Jesus Debrok.  As a result of the broken ribs his lungs were punctured and the autopsy revealed the cause of death to be shock and hemorrhage.

One eyewitness by the name of Randolf "Chappie" Chapman explained that he was turning in to pick up some Chinese food when the accident occurred.

"I was parking in the front of the restaurant at Government Road as I had sent a "fellar" inside to buy some cut up chicken.  While I was there I saw a white car come from behind me and swing up Government Road.  I heard "Blap! Blap!" and I saw a man was lying in the road so I cried out to the driver "Stop! Stop!" You drive over a man!" he said.

He continued, "When the car stopped I ran out of my jeep and I pulled the man from under the car and I put my ears to his nose and he was breathing so I ran to the police station to make a report.  I told the police to come fast as a man was just knocked down and three policemen ran with me to the scene of the accident.  They marked the four tires spots where the tire went and where the body went and put the "fellar" in the white car that ran over him." 

A deeply saddened Chapman explained that after marking the area the police rushed the victim to the hospital where he was to be treated.