BASSETERRE, St. Kitts – IT is still unclear as to how he escaped the ordeal with his life, but St. Kitts-Nevis Honorary Consul to St. Thomas, Elridge St. Clair ‘Rid-O-Pest’ Tobias of Shadwell who was involved in a somewhat bizarre traffic accident yesterday (Feb. 18), was rushed to the hospital for treatment.
SKNVibes caught wind of the incident – which reportedly occurred at approximately 1:10 p.m. at Godwin Ghaut - and while journeying to the scene discovered that Tobias was being transported to the Joseph N. France General Hospital.
Having arrived on the scene, however, this publication observed a grey Suzuki Vitara (PA6660) snugly fitted within the opening of the Ghaut, on the mountain side of the road, with the front facing Basseterre’s direction.
Police officers were on scene conducting their investigations and recording information relevant to their inquiries.
After being informed by a police officer that he would not be able to divulge any information on the incident, this media house conducted its own and, according to Sylvester Hendrickson whose house sits next to the Ghaut, Tobias ran into his fence before making contact with the ghaut.
“I was inside and I heard the bang…so I went outside and I realised my fence was broken. It is made of barbwire, zinc and wood. After he hit my fence, he went into the ghaut.”
The right side (driver’s side) of the vehicle was lying flat which suggests that in order to exit the vehicle, Tobias - who appeared to have a deep wound on the left side of his forehead, would have had to climb to the passenger side.
According to Hendrickson, villagers assisted Tobias in exiting the vehicle.
“People from the area gathered and helped the man to get out of the vehicle and out of the Ghaut, and he was taken to the hospital after that. He had what looked like a deep cut on his head.”
An eyewitness of the incident explained to SKNVibes that she – along with others – was standing on the veranda of a nearby house when the incident occurred.
She said a passenger bus that was travelling (from Sandy Point’s direction to Basseterre’s) in front of Tobias stopped and in attempting to avoid crashing into the back of the bus, Tobias swerved, causing his vehicle to make contact with Hendrickson’s fence before depositing in the ghaut.
Tobias was reportedly transported to the Joseph N. France General Hospital for treatment; however his current condition is unknown to this publication.
Investigations are ongoing.
