But first, a 7 year old boy was killed on his way home from school this afternoon on Perez Road in Ladyville. Around mid-day, Eli Suarez, an infant two student at the Adventist Primary School in Ladyville, was knocked down off his bike and run over by a cargo truck. It was a gory and tragic scene and 7News was there; Keith Swift has the story.
Keith Swift Reporting,
The body on the ground is 7 year old Eli Suarez whose head was crushed by the wheels of this heavy duty truck. Reports to us are that the victim was on his bicycle heading home from school here on Perez Avenue when the accident occurred. His friend and neighbour Wendy Esalles was riding next to him.
Wendy Esalles, Witness
“The big car was coming and I told him to get out but he told me no.”
Hubert Frazer, Family
Friend
“What I gathered from this is that the child tried to cross the street and in that process the guy just knocked him down and ran over him, front wheel first and then the rear wheel. I don’t know if it was the left or the right side.”
Cheryl Henry, Area Resident
“I didn’t see really what happened. I was just out opening the vehicle and when I heard the children screaming and when I looked up, I saw the little boy on the ground.”
Keith Swift,
Do you know the boy?
Cheryl Henry,
“No I don’t know him.”
Keith Swift,
When you went out there he was already dead?
Cheryl Henry,
“I didn’t go by the body, my neighbour went and he came back and he told me that the little boy was dead.”
In fact – little Eli’s head had been crushed. The truck was driven by a Mennonite and those in the area say speeding is a problem on Perez Avenue.
Cheryl Henry,
“I feel real bad for the mother because it could have been one of my own children.”
Keith Swift,
Is there a problem with speeding on this road?
Cheryl Henry,
“Yes because as I told the other gentleman just now, it is not the first time a child got knocked down here. It didn’t die or anything but children are always getting knocked down from the school.”
Keith Swift,
What do you hope we will learn from this?
Cheryl Henry,
“For the drivers to drive slow, pay attention to the children, and it will be real nice for the police to just patrol at the time when school is over so they could be out here just for the safety of the children.”
Hubert Frazer,
“It boils down to the driver mein. If you see a child: slow down, stop, clear the road first because it is a life you took there. You know what I am saying?”
The driver of the truck has been identified as Johan Nikoley. He is detained but is expected to be released with a notice of intended prosecution.
