By Makeida Antonio
Antigua and Barbuda’s first road fatality of 2022 is a young woman who was struck by a vehicle on Friars Hill Road during the early hours of Thursday morning.
Preliminary information obtained by Observer indicated that the victim was rushed to the hospital after the collision which occurred around 5.45am, resulting in several broken bones.
Additionally, it was reported that the critical nature of her condition at the time led to her being placed on a ventilator.
Sadly, she was pronounced dead at the Sir Lester Bird Medical Centre at 10.30am.
Police spokesperson Acting Assistant Superintendent Frankie Thomas told Observer yesterday that law enforcement has identified the victim as 29-year-old Lashauna Bridgen of Yorks. According to Thomas, Bridgen was identified through communication between the police and her relatives. The police confirmed that one of the victim’s brothers resides in the Potters community.
However, Thomas said that the name of the driver is being withheld pending further investigations into the matter. He added that the man identified as the driver was on the scene when officers arrived.
Meanwhile, Traffic Officer Senior Sergeant Kenny McBurnie has made an appeal to the public for anyone who saw the accident to come forward.
“We are just getting a bit more information but as it comes, we will be giving more information about it. We just want to encourage anyone who may have witnessed that collision to please feel free to call us and let us know what you saw so we can go into that investigation with a bit more information and more clarity,” he said.