WESTERN BUREAU:

The Black River police in St Elizabeth are mourning the death of a colleague who died in a motor vehicle accident along the Goshen main road yesterday morning.

Constable David Benloss died shortly after 6:15 a.m. when the service vehicle he was driving collided with another vehicle in Goshen. Benloss and his co-worker, Sergeant Lincent Smith, were heading towards Santa Cruz.

Benloss' colleagues described him as a hard worker who was dedicated to his job.

"Constable Benloss was a quiet, hard worker. He was so reserved but never late for duty. I can't ever recall him being late for duty and I have been his supervisor from 1994, so I know him quite well," Inspector Harvey D'Aguilar told The Gleaner.

"At present, the police, particularly those at Black River, are in a solemn and sombre mood; we are trying to cope with our loss."

Inspector D'Aguilar said the police conducted a prayer session after hearing the news of their colleague's misfortune. The inspector also stated that they would be offering moral support to Benloss' wife, who was receiving treatment at hospital as a result of the news, and his four sons in their time of grief.

In a press release yesterday, acting Commissioner of Police Owen Ellington expressed regret at the constable's passing and wished a full recovery for the injured sergeant, who is said to be in critical condition after receiving injuries to his head and chest.

Ellington also used the opportunity to urge his charges and members of the public to exercise care on the roads. He said that the JCF would be organising its resources throughout the holiday to ensure that the road traffic laws are obeyed.