BASSETERRE, St. Kitts – THE man, whose vehicle struck Jeannette Matthew at the junction of West Independence Square and Central Streets on Thursday, March 27, admitted that the accident did occur but refuted her claim of him not offering an apology.
Speaking with this writer today (Apr. 10), the driver of vehicle (P319) declared that after reading the article on SKNVibes’ website he went to the station and gave a statement to the police concerning the accident.
“After reading an article by Jenise Ferlance-Isaac on SKNVibes, headlined ‘I will not let the matter go…says accident victim’, I went to the station today and gave a statement. However, the woman claimed that I did not offer an apology and that statement is false. I did apologise and also my wife who was in the vehicle.”
Matthew had told this publication that on the day in question when she was leaving the Independence Square to go onto Central Street, “I waited until the vehicles that were coming down West Independence Square Street were at a very good distance away from where I stood before crossing the street”.
She said that she had observed a dark grey jeep (P319) with its engine running at the stop sign on the corner of Central and West Independence Square Streets.
“I started crossing, and just when I got to the end of the street the vehicle came out of the stop and ran into me...my right side, my hand and my hip,” she explained.
Although not thrown to the ground, Matthew said she was struck very hard and it left her in shock, adding that "I did not know what caught me first, whether it was the noise or the feeling of the vehicle hitting me".
“I froze on the spot and he [driver] said, ‘I didn’t see you, I was looking at the vehicles coming down the road.’ There were two ladies in the vehicle with him and the one on the passenger’s side in the front seat said she’s so frightened. So I'm thinking...‘You’re so frightened! But what about me, I got hit.’
“I realised he was not making an effort to pull to the side of the road to see what was going on. So I looked at his vehicle number and when I asked him his name, he looked at me and drove off,” Matthew said.
In his account of what transpired, the driver claimed that he did not realise his vehicle had struck Matthew and is adamant that she did not request his name.
“I was looking towards the northern side of West Independence Square Street to seize the opportunity to move off when there was no oncoming traffic. I saw a vehicle was approaching, but it was not close to Central Street, and I immediately turned onto West Independence Square Street.
“I did not see the young lady. She was on my blind side and I am not disputing that the vehicle impacted her, but I did not feel any impact. However, after it was made known that she was impacted, I stopped the vehicle and offered an apology. Also, I did not see it as an accident where she was injured. After apologising, I drove off and I heard someone shout something about name, but I did not realise it was the young lady requesting mine until I read it on SKNVibes.
“At no point when my wife and I offered her our apologies did she ask for my name. I am also guilty of that because I too did not request her name.”
The driver however told this publication if “she needs to be compensated she will be” and reiterated “I did not callously drive off without saying anything to her”.
