An 18-year-old was killed around 7:30 last night, but up to now, there's not much clarity on how it happened. All that's known is that Jorge Welderman was heading home on a motorcycle when he crashed on the Phillip Goldson Highway. From an initial scan of the scene, one could speculate that he collided into an unoccupied truck that was parked on the side of the road. But on further examination, it may have been a hit and run.
Courtney Menzies went to Ladyville to find out more answers. Here is that story.
Not much is known about 18-year-old Jorge Welderman, only that he was a Ladyville resident who passed away last night. He was riding his motorcycle on the Phillip Goldson Highway, presumably heading home, when he got into an accident that left him dead on the highway.
But how did it happen? Well, Welderman's body was found next to a dump truck, and initial reports say that he may not have seen it and run right into the back of it. The driver of the truck explained that he had run out of gas while heading to Ladyville.
Eric Ortiz, Truck Driver
"It ran out of diesel, shut down, I tried to put it as close to the side, I didn't leave it to the middle and the place where it was, there was a lamp. Everyone could see it, it was a big truck, not a small thing."
"When we got the diesel and turned back to the place where the truck was, we found out about the accident."
"I feel sorry for the family because he's dead already but I have a son 17 years old now so I really feel sorry for them. But we didn't do anything, we just left the truck from minutes after six."
Reporter:
"And when this accident happened?"
Eric Ortiz, Truck Driver
"I have no idea. According to police, by 7, 7:30."
But while police say the truck had no lights on, making it an active road hazard, Ortiz says that - not only was the area well lit - there was no indication that the truck was hit.
Courtney Menzies:
"You're saying that you noticed as well that there was another vehicle that might have been involved?"
Eric Ortiz, Truck Driver
"Well, we figured out according to how we saw the motorcycle was, it looked like someone knocked right behind. He was, took a hard brake before the truck and turned to the left, according to how we saw it. We are drivers so we were trying to figure out what was the problem, because if he crashed into the truck, definitely you would see the stamp by the truck. I don't have the words to say it."
Courtney Menzies:
"So the truck had no damage?"
Eric Ortiz, Truck Driver
"Nothing, nothing at all."
Reporter:
"So he didn't crash into the truck?"
Eric Ortiz, Truck Driver
"He didn't, he didn't crash into the truck. And the other way you could find out exactly what's happening, Caribbean Tires have a camera outside that could see it, they told me if I needed video, I could get the video right there."
"You could see the motorcycle, actually, it was knocked from behind, and he was far from the truck. If he stamped into the truck, it would be right there."
Reporter:
"But it was to the side of the truck."
Eric Ortiz, Truck Driver
"Yes, definitely."
Reporter:
"One of the things they're saying is that how the area was dark, that you couldn't see."
Eric Ortiz, Truck Driver
"It wasn't actually."
Reporter:
"It wasn't, in broad light, right?"
Eric Ortiz, Truck Driver
"No, you can't tell me that, because even from Haulover to Ladyville isn't that dark, it's not that dark, no more, it has a lot of lights on the road."
And as of this morning, cops weren't too sure of Welderman's address or the whereabouts of his family, since his driver's license only said he was from Ladyville.
Ortiz is hoping they view the security tapes and clarify the incident.
Ortiz has received a notice of intended prosecution.
