An unidentified man who attempted to rob the driver of route 15A bus was killed on Monday afternoon.
The victim was reportedly pinned under the bus after the driver pursed him and later crashed into the wall of a residence on Sapphire Ridge Road in eastern New Providence.
According to police press liaison officer Assistant Superintendant Walter Evans, the driver of Reliable Bus Service – a public transit association of the Bahamas jitney – was transporting the victim who had made a request for the driver to stop at the Wendy’s Restaurant in the Sea Grapes Shopping Center.
ASP Evans reported that when the driver exited his jitney and later returned, he witnessed the victim, believed to be in his 20s, stealing some coins. The victim, he said, ran towards the Sapphire Ridge Road area and was immediately pursued by the bus driver.
"The driver then followed the passenger into the area of Hen Street and Sapphire Ridge Road and there was a collision," ASP Evans reported. "As a result of that the man who was running was injured and succumbed at the scene."
This latest incident, according to ASP Evans, has been classified as an accidental death and an "intensive" investigation has been launched.
The bus driver, whose identity was not released, is being questioned by police.
When the Bahama Journal arrived on the scene shortly before 1p.m. yesterday, a yellow crime scene tape had already cordoned off the area of the gruesome accident, where the bus had crashed into the wall of a yellow home that was under construction.
A number of residents and employees of shops in the nearby Sea Grapes Shopping Center had gathered on Sapphire Road to catch a glimpse of the dead victim and the bus driver who sat quietly in the backseat of a police patrol car.
The body was not separated from the bus until shortly after 2p.m. when a wrecker and mortician arrived from the Sunrise Mortuary.
The partial owner of the "Reliable Bus Service" jitney, Mr. Julian Smith told the Journal yesterday that his employee was robbed of some $95 in coins. He also claimed that his employee is known to be a safe driver who basically keeps to himself.
"A lot of drivers on the road could attest to the fact that he is one of the cleaner drivers on the road," said Mr. Smith, adding that the driver had been employed with his company for the past five years.
The bus owner further revealed that his employee is the only breadwinner of his family with some six or seven children who solely depend on his revenue. "He’s responsible for sending them to school, he’s responsible for taking care of his wife, he’s unable to work at this time and he pays all the bills; so for him it is challenging," he said.
Mr. Wallace Rolle, the attorney representing the bus driver told the Journal that yesterday’s incident speaks to the tough economic conditions that many are facing throughout the Bahamas. He said his client’s wife, who was also at yesterday’s scene, felt terrible about the entire situation.
"I think there are two victims here because her husband is now in police custody and a young man is dead, so we have victims on both sides and she feels terrible about the entire situation," he said.
