By LAMECH JOHNSON

Tribune Staff Reporter

ljohnson@tribunemedia.net

TWO men died as a result of traffic accidents this weekend - one in the Lyford Cay community in New Providence and the other in Grand Bahama.

Police officers from the Traffic Division were called to the security entrance of the exclusive gated community on Saturday after 9am due to reports that a male pedestrian had been run over by a dump truck.

The victim, whose identity has been withheld pending an official identification by next of kin, was pronounced dead at the scene. However he is said to be a married father of two in his 40s, who was employed by a resident of Lyford Cay.

According to a family member, the man was heading to work when he was hit.

Many of the victim’s distraught relatives gathered in the area on Saturday, saddened and emotional by the news.

Officer-in-charge of the Traffic Division, Assistant Superintendent Craig Stubbs told reporters that from officers’ initial inquiries, “the driver reported that at no time did he see the pedestrian who apparently walked on the right side of the vehicle at a blind spot.”

ASP Stubbs added that the driver, who appeared distraught over the ordeal, might not have been able to see the victim due to the height and seize of the vehicle.

Nevertheless, he said the driver is assisting police in their investigations as his team probes the full circumstances of what led up to the accident.

Meanwhile, police in Grand Bahama are investigating the death of a man on that island following a traffic accident.

According to police, shortly after 7am Friday, officers were called to a traffic accident on Coral Road that involved a single vehicle, a 2007 gray Mercury Milan driven by a male who lost control of his vehicle and hit a tree.

The male driver was ejected from his vehicle on impact and transported to the Rand Memorial Hospital via ambulance in serious condition, police said. He was later airlifted to New Providence for further medical attention.

The victim died in hospital around 5pm Sunday.

Two weeks ago, a 62-year-old died after a traffic accident in Eight Mile Rock, Grand Bahama.

According to police, the pedestrian, while attempting to cross the street, was hit by a 2004 gold coloured Ford Taurus car. The victim was taken to the Rand Memorial Hospital where he died of his injuries.

On October 2, a 42-year-old man died in an accident while walking on West Sunrise Highway in Freeport.

The incident occurred shortly before 8am, in the area of Ellis Lightfoot Avenue, West Sunrise Highway. The collision involved a champagne-coloured 2003 Nissan Maxima vehicle driven by a man travelling east along West Sunrise Highway and a male pedestrian. The pedestrian received injuries about the body and died at the scene.

Anyone with information regarding Saturday’s traffic incident or any other matter is asked to contact police at 911, 919, the Central Detective Unit at 502-9991, 502- 9910 or Crime Stoppers at 328-TIPS.