What should have been a simple funeral procession along the Barbary Hall main road, St Elizabeth, last Saturday has left the Constantine family of Watchwell district in that parish swimming in an ocean of sorrowful tears.

In a quick and tragic turn of events, 25-year-old Richard Constantine, who was a member of the funeral procession, was killed by the hearse that was transporting the body of his deceased friend, Lester Crow.

Speaking with THE STAR yesterday, Gregory Constantine, Richard's brother, painfully recalled the heartbreaking afternoon that has left the family distraught.

Music in a truck

"We were making our way to the graveside. There was a band playing music in a truck, there were the bikers behind that truck and then there was the hearse," Gregory said. "The rain had stopped so we stopped the truck to remove the tarpaulin so people could hear the music from the band better."

Gregory added that, as the tarpaulin was being removed, the driver from the hearse came out to ask what was the problem.

"So, we told him that we were only removing the tarpaulin and then he went back inside the car," Gregory said. "It look like he left the car in 'drive' or something because as soon as he went back in the car it jumped off and ran over everybody before hitting in the back of the truck."

Gregory said his brother, who was one of the bikers that was hit by the hearse, was stuck under the vehicle. He continued that the hearse driver fled the scene, fearing that he would be harmed.

Richard was taken to the Black River Hospital where he succumbed to his injuries on Sunday morning. The other persons are said to have escaped the freak accident with non-life threatening injuries.

"Right now the family just a try keep strong because it rough," Gregory said. "We really have to hold it together."

Tearful disbelief

Another person who was injured in the accident, giving her name only as Wendy, said the experience has left her in shock and in tearful disbelief. She said she was travelling on Richard's bike initially. However, after the vehicles stopped and the tarpaulin was being removed, she jokingly decided to hop onto another bike that was further up front.

"Less than a minute later the accident take place," Wendy said. "All of us were hit to the ground, but I was now further up front. Even when I spoke with Richard before he died he was saying I was lucky that I came off his bike because I would have probably died."

Police reports said about 5 p.m. Constantine was driving a Honda motorcycle in a funeral procession along the Barbary Hall main road. On reaching a section of the roadway, a truck in the procession stopped and Constantine and two other motorcyclists stopped behind the truck. The hearse, which was behind the motorcycles, suddenly moved off, hitting the three motorcycles against the truck, pinning the drivers and pillion riders. They were taken to the Black River Hospital where they were admitted. Constantine died about 10 o'clock on Sunday morning.

The Santa Cruz Police have since charged the hearse driver with manslaughter. He is to appear in the Black River Resident Magistrate's Court today.