Petersfield High in mourning after two students die in motorcycle crash

By Kimone Witter    

 

Petersfield High School in Westmoreland is in mourning after two students died in a crash involving a motorcycle and a car on the Galloway main road on Tuesday morning.

 

The students have been identified as 16-year-old Ajani Robinson and 14-year-old Zackeal McIntyre.

 

The police say one of the boys was driving the motorcycle.

 

Assistant Commissioner Gary McKenzie, head of the Public Safety and Traffic Enforcement Branch (PSTEB), said about 6:45 a.m., the students were travelling on a motorcycle from Whithorn enroute to school.

 

The driver failed to negotiate a corner at the intersection of Shrewsbury and the Petersfield main road and crashed into the oncoming car.

 

"As a result of the collision, the vehicles enveloped into flames and unfortunately both students died as a result of it. The driver of the motor car suffered minor injuries," ACP McKenzie reported. 

 

The PSTEB head noted that the crash was particularly unfortunate considering neither of the students, at their age, was permitted to drive. 

 

"A person driving a motorcycle requires a driver's licence and unfortunately, we continue to see incidents where students drive these motorcycles and oftentimes they are involved in crashes and suffer very serious injuries," he lamented. 

 

This brings to three the number of students from Petersfield High who have died in traffic crashes in less than two weeks.

 

Fifteen-year-old Lavecia Forrester, a fourth form student, was among five people killed in the November 13 crash on the Bluefields main road in Westmoreland. 

 

In the meantime, ACP McKenzie said the investigation into Tuesday's crash could lead to charges as the boys should not have been in possession of the motorcycle. 

 

"Our investigation has to find out how they came by this motorcycle. So of course, we will find out who is the owner of the motorcycle, how they came by the motorcycle and certainly other investigations will follow. So if we find that an adult is culpable in terms of giving an underage student the motorcycle to drive, then they will bear some consequences" he warned.  

 

Vice Principal of Petersfield High School, J. Anthony Clarke, said the school population is devastated by the latest tragedy.

 

Mr. Clarke, who visited the crash site, appealed to parents and caregivers to adhere to the school's no motor vehicle policy. 

 

"Students are not allowed to ride to school or to drive to school, but oftentimes these students would drive or ride their bikes and park it within the community and then walk to school. And it's very sad knowing that they were on their way to school and they would have met in an accident and lost their life. The school board, the administration of the school, the PTA, the student body, we're all in mourning and we send our condolences to the family and relatives of these two students who would have lost their lives this morning," he said. 

 

Classes have been suspended for Tuesday.