One dead, one injured in early morning collision

By Ryan Haas
Reporter-SKNVibes.com

BASSETERRE, St. Kitts - MATTHEW Willis, a student of the Ross University School of Veterinary Medicine (RUSVM) was killed around 12:30 a.m. this morning when the vehicle he was driving collided head-on with another on the Island Main Road between RUSVM and the International University of Nursing.

Willis was thrown from his vehicle and killed when his westbound car collided with a white Ford Explorer [P2145] driven by Austin Gumbs of  Shadwell Housing, who was travelling towards Basseterre from Old Road. 

The fourth-semester student was pronounced dead on the scene by the District Medical Doctor.    ~~Adz:Right~~

SKNVibes spoke with the Head of the Traffic Department, Inspector Vynetta Wyatt, at the scene of the accident and she confirmed that the deceased driver of the gray Nissan Sentra [PA552] was indeed a student of the RUSVM.

On arrival at the scene, a unit of the Emergency Medical Services rushed Gumbs to the Joseph N France General Hospital where he was treated for minor injuries and discharged.

Traffic in the area was blocked for three hours, with dozens of cars lined up on both sides of the cordoned scene, as emergency workers cleared the mangled wreckage. Onlookers had no choice but to watch the clean-up efforts as they waited patiently to reach their destinations.

The car was extensively damaged while the front right side of the Ford Explorer was badly damaged.

This marks the second head-on collision in the area in 15 days with the last occurring on June 7, no more than 30 yards away and sending three young men to the hospital for serious injuries.

Police officials continue to investigate the incident and SKNVibes will provide further updates as information becomes available.