By RICARDO WELLS 

Tribune Staff Reporter

rwells@tribunemedia.net

TRAFFIC police in New Providence are investigating an early morning hit-and-run incident that left a woman dead and a man in hospital.

According to police, shortly after 6.30am yesterday, a man and a woman were walking along the southern side of Sealink Drive, South Beach when they were hit by a Nissan Cube that drifted out of the eastbound, northern lane.

Chief Superintendent Craig Stubbs, officer-in-charge of the Traffic Division, said paramedics responded and pronounced the woman dead at the scene. She had reportedly suffered “significant head trauma”.

Meanwhile, the male victim was taken to Princess Margaret Hospital where he was listed in critical condition in the Intensive Care Unit.

The vehicle involved in the crash did not remain stationary, fleeing the area travelling eastbound toward East Street.

CSP Stubbs said a resident of the area who witnessed the incident gave chase, communicating the vehicle’s movements to officers back at Police Control Room.

The driver of that fleeing vehicle - a woman reportedly between 25 and 30 years of age - subsequently crashed in the area of Bougainvillea Boulevard, South Beach before getting away on foot.

CSP Stubbs, who spoke to reporters at the scene of that second crash, added: “As you can see here, this was the vehicle that was being driven. We know that at about 8am, or thereafter, based on the information that we received from the vehicle (involved in the hit-and-run), we were able to contact a relative of the driver, and I can say that police took into custody a female driver of this vehicle.”

CSP Stubbs said the woman, despite reporting injuries of her own, is now assisting police with their investigations.

When asked by reporters what factors may have contributed to the initial crash, CSP Stubbs said it appeared that the driver was distracted.

To that end, he appealed to members of the public who may find themselves in a similar situation, pleading with them to remain stationary at the scene, instead of fleeing.

“We have seen in the last year, and more so in this year, we would have seen what we call hit-and-run accidents have increased; where a person would get involved in an accident and fail to remain stationary. It is an accident,” he said.

CSP Stubbs continued: “Yes, it is an accident as a result of a driver’s error. It can be driver’s error (or) it can be any other mitigating factors as it relates to the accident.

“But we appeal to motorists, please stop. It is an accident. Allow the police to come to the scene and do the investigation and determine who is at fault for that accident. In some cases, you may not be at fault. But it is paramount that you remain on scene. Remain stationary and allow the investigators to come in and do the investigations.”

The victims of yesterday’s incident have not been identified.

Police said according to the preliminary information gathered, they believe the victims are residents of the South Beach community and often walked the route as a part of their exercise regimen.

Residents of Sealink Drive are now calling for the erection of additional speed bumps along the street, claiming motorists who traverse the area in the early morning and late at night, often do so at high rates of speed.

One resident, who lives a short distance from where the two victims were struck, said the lack of a speed bump for up to 150 yards often “gives (drivers) the idea that they can go as fast as they want.”

“We really need a speed bump somewhere in that section. It gets really bad sometimes and people operate as if they are on a highway. That will never end well,” the concerned resident told The Tribune.

Monday’s traffic fatality was the second since last Friday.

A man in Eleuthera died last week when he lost control of his grey 2007 Nissan Note and collided with a tree on Queen’s Highway, Rock Sound, in the area of the airport.