A 29 year old mother of 3 is in the hospital with a broken pelvis and police say the Executive Director of the National AIDS Commission (NAC), Martha Carillo, may be to blame. Police have confirmed to 7NEWS that at least for now Carillo is being investigated for causing the accident while driving under the influence of alcohol.
Reports are that around 1:30 on Saturday morning the victim Sharon Jones was standing in front of Rose Garden on the Northern Highway when Carillo’s government issued blue Isuzu pickup which was heading in the direction of Ladyville careened into her. The impact of the crash sent Jones flying but she survived and is in the KHMH tonight recovering. Jones says she never saw it coming.
Sharon Jones, Accident Victim
“I was talking to a friend of mine in front of the Rose Garden and this vehicle just came from nowhere and hit me and from where I was standing I ended up a little bit more...I flew a little bit and that’s all I remember.”
KS: Did you see the vehicle approaching?
Sharon Jones,
“My back was turned and I didn’t see the vehicle coming.”
KS: Were you standing on the highway or on the side?
Sharon Jones,
“I was standing off the highway.”
KS: What were you doing at the Rose Garden at 1:30 on Saturday morning?
Sharon Jones,
“I was just passing through.”
KS: Passing through?
Sharon Jones,
“Yes.”
KS: It’s been three days and no one has been charged for your sister’s accident, how does the family view this?
Tanya Panting, Sharon’s Sister
“Well to be honest it does put us in a suspicious state because up to this afternoon there had been no report from the police station about her incident.”
KS: Are you satisfied that your sister case is being treated fairly by the police?
Tanya Panting,
“I cannot honestly answer that right now to say if she is being treated fairly because like I said to this present moment no one has been charged as yet.”
The results of Carillo's blood-alcohol test should be out tomorrow and until then police stress the charges are merely allegations. She however has been served with a notice of intended prosecution pending the outcome of the police's investigation. Police note that administering a blood-alcohol test is standard in any accident. Carillo was out of office today but her story to police is that she swerved right into Rose Garden at the Mile 8 curve to avoid hitting an oncoming vehicle which had blinded her due to bright lights.