Kevin Smith warned officers he would die ahead of ill-fated trip

There was a major development Thursday in the Coroner's inquest into the death of Kevin Smith and police constable Orlando Irons while Smith was being transported to Kingston.

 

Constable Orlando Irons and Dr. Kevin Smith, the head of Pathways International Kingdom Restoration Ministries, died in the October 25, 2021 crash on the Linstead Bypass in St. Catherine.

 

Two police officers, Constables Chevon Gordon and Ryan Harrison, who were in the ill-fated police vehicle carrying the accused to Kingston, testified during the inquest on Thursday, detailing that the disturbing series of events started before they left the Barnett Street Police Station in Montego Bay to take Smith to the offices of the Major Investigations Division in Kingston.

 

There they say Smith told now deceased Constable Orlando Irons that the cup of tea he was having before starting the journey to Kingston would have been his last.

 

They say Smith also told them they would not make it into Kingston and that he, Kevin Smith, was going to die.

 

Both constables testified that Smith told them along the journey that the blue Toyota Corolla they were travelling in was never going to make it to Kingston.

 

Constable Gordon, who was seated in the front passenger seat of the ill-fated service vehicle, broke down while speaking about the things Smith said and did in the car while being transported to Kingston.

 

He related his testimony in tears as he described how Smith held on to the left shoulder of the driver, Constable Ryan Harrison, pulling him after shouting out in the car that he is from Bog Walk, St. Catherine and that he wanted to die there.

 

He said when Smith held on to the driver, the late Constable Irons, who was sitting in the back with Smith, immediately tried to remove Smith's hands from the driver's shoulder.

 

Both constables said that Smith held on to the driver despite both his hands and feet being shackled.

 

Constable Harrison, who said he had been driving for the police force for more than 14 years, told the judge that when Smith held on to him, it caused him to lose focus and resulted in the crash.

 

He said he maintained his grip on the steering wheel even while Smith held on to his shoulder.

 

All that happened, he said, when he was driving in the middle of the road with his hazard lights on trying to keep up with the marked service vehicle that was piloting his vehicle.

 

The inquest ended Thursday.

 

The verdict will be revealed on May 21.