Glenroy Sinclair, Assignment Coordinator

ASHMAN

WHEN HE buried his father two months ago, Detective Sergeant Curtis Michael Ashman jokingly told undertakers that whenever they returned to Beeston Spring district, Westmoreland, it would be his body they would be taking back.

"He even said to me at the funeral that in the next 10 years when he died, he wants to be buried in Beeston district," commented Debra Ashman, the stepmother of the 33-year-old policeman who was attached to the Flying Squad Unit, downtown Kingston.

The reserved subofficer perished last Thursday afternoon in a motor vehicle accident in Montego Bay, St James. Reports are that he lost control of the unmarked Toyota Corolla motor car he was driving. The accident occurred in the vicinity of Flankers.

Initial reports are that the vehicle hit a median on the highway, then overturned and collided with two other vehicles. His body had to be cut from the mangled wreckage. Reports are that the sergeant received a phone call from Montego Bay that the court was awaiting his arrival with the exhibit relevant to a certain case.

According to his stepmother, it was customary for him to prepare his clothes from overnight and leave early in the mornings whenever he had to attend court in Montego Bay. He was never usually in a hurry.

Preparation for new job

"I hung up the phone on the person who greeted me with the news yesterday (Thursday). I just could not believe. We lived in the same house and the last time I saw him was on Monday," said Mrs Ashman, who has been caring for him since he was just two years old.

She said he died at a time when everything was coming through for him to take up a job offer in the Bermuda Police Force. He had previously applied and did an interview.

"The officers who came to tell me about the accident said he was outstanding during the interview. When one of my own children would use harsh words to me, 'Micky' never used any harsh words to me," Mrs Ashman said.

When the news reached the Flying Squad office in downtown Kingston, the scene became very emotional.

Det Sergeant Ashman is survived by two children, a boy and a girl.