By Shermain Bique-Charles
A heartbroken woman continues to plead for any information leading to the arrest of whoever struck and killed her uncle who succumbed to his injuries four days after he was hit by a vehicle.
Elca Jarvis told Observer that Oswald Thomas, who she said raised her like his own child, died without being able to utter a word to her, while the person responsible for his death is still on the loose.
According to reports, the 60-year-old man left his home in Swetes at around 5am on December 3 and shortly after he was allegedly struck by a van bearing government plates on a road in the village.
“I was home that morning and he left home about 5am and about half hour later someone came and called me … they said my uncle got hit by a government vehicle. I went on the scene and he was lying face down. Police came and then the ambulance came afterwards,” Jarvis recalled.
Doctors reported to the family that Thomas was brain dead.
“The doctors told me that the impact was so intense it stopped his brain but his heart was still beating. It eventually stopped four days after,” she explained.
Jarvis said she has been scrambling through surveillance cameras since the deadly incident in order to find any leads that could identify the driver of the vehicle.
“There are two shops. I checked the cameras. I got the go ahead from the police that I can check the cameras. The shop owners consented. They allowed me to see the vehicles that passed between[that time period and] I’ve seen about 10 vehicles but nothing is concrete at the moment,” Jarvis said.
The distraught woman said she remains traumatised and unless the person responsible comes forward, her soul will not be at rest.
“I go outside every day at 5am to look out for vehicles with G plates, hoping that one of them would be the one that hit my uncle. I am asking the person to come forward please.
“I don’t understand how a person can hit someone and drive away. I am at a loss. He was just left there. How can you take off? Had they stopped it would have been an accident, but this is murder,” she added.
Police Public Relations Officer, Assistant Superintendent Frankie Thomas, confirmed that the traffic department is making inquiries into the matter.