DVDL worker crashes car during inspection
SUV damaged by light pole
(CNS): A vehicle inspector with the Department of Vehicle and Drivers’ Licensing (DVDL) is under investigation by the police and his employers after he smashed a client’s car into a light pole, which then hit another vehicle, when he was testing a 1996 Toyota Supra for inspection. Police said they received the report of the smash at around 1pm Monday afternoon on Crewe Road, not far from the main vehicle licensing office. The DVDL worker was taken to the hospital but he has not been arrested.
DVDL Director David Dixon said that the employee has been released from the hospital after treatment for minor injuries and is now on sick leave. He said the matter was under police investigation but his department would also be looking into what happened.
“As in every incident where a staff member is involved, the management of DVDL will conduct its own internal enquiry,” he said. Noting that the traffic law allows appointed inspectors to test drive vehicles for inspection for a certificate of road-worthiness and compliance, he said that staff had been road testing cars since 1963.
However, it is understood that the private car was extensively damaged and its owner had been hoping to sell the car. The driver of the second damaged vehicle, an SUV that was struck by the light pole, said she had given evidence to the police that the DVDL driver appeared to have taken the Toyota for a “joy ride”.
“He was zig-zagging at high speed in and out of the lanes and lost complete control of the vehicle,” the driver of the SUV said. “I was driving out of town, heard him rev right behind me, and I saw him swerve at top speed and jump in front of me. He crashed into the median, rode up the light pole and I swerved away from his car to avoid any further contact.”
Despite her best efforts to avoid being hit, the light pole crashed down on to her SUV, smashing the windscreen and leaving it unusable until it is repaired. She said she was unsure about where she stands regarding compensation.
Police are asking anyone with information to call the Traffic Management Unit at 649-6254. Anonymous tips can be provided via the Miami-based call centre of Crime Stoppers at 800-8477(TIPS), or online here.
Well in the Brac the inspector doesn’t even come out of his office and inspect the car, he passes it right in his office and you be on your marry way.
This is just too funny… this is….this is…..Just another day in paradise.
Time was, things like this only happened in the Philippines.
Look on the bright side, no one was killed and one more souped car off the road for good. Had the car been sold it may have surely taken a life, or two. Give thanks where it’s due and hope the punishment fits the misdeed.
Wow!! so lets consider that statement. I suppose based on the level of performance the car is capable of then by that logic every high performance car; Corvette, Shelby, Ferrari, Porsche, Aston, Maserati, etc etc should also be taken off the road since they too can take a life or two apparently based on that logic. Where is the bright side for the owner to have invested time money and effort only to lose his vehicle as a result of what appears to be gross incompetence and irresponsibility?
This guy should obviously be given his walking papers. End of story as in too many cover-ups by govt as it is. not to mention pay out full compensation to the owner out of pocket
Wow, if only crime in this country could evoke such emotions from all these economic pirates.
This story makes me happy.
Never really understood the concrete car flipping structure that divides the road here. Not that it has anything to do with this accident. Just that if someone driving like an idiot on the other side loses control id rather them hit a vertical barrier than a curb that will launch them into my windshield?
I’ve never in 15 yrs had someone take my little car out on the road to tear it up and test it, why now then?
Because your 1996 Toyota corolla isn’t as much of a thrill to drive.
LOL!!!
Marl road is that this was indeed a joy ride of a souped up car. Grab the broom CIG, DVDL will lift the rug.
And they say Caymanians are the haters!!!!! STOP the name calling and judgmental comments! Enough already! This is the first time this has happened that I know of. I should think that is a very good track record for the many vehicles that are inspected on this little island.
You are right. Seems we all have a good supply of anger/hate in our hearts.
Who drives 30MPH in that zone NOW that the speed limit has changed ?? I can guarantee that None of you on here posting drives the new speed limit of 30MPH in this area or even 35MPH. This is a Race Track and the POPO needs to inforce this heavily also.
thanks and have a safe day
Its a four lane highway between two fast roads. The only reason it changed to 30 was to please either the church or the lions rather than making them make adequate parking inside. I’ll keep doing 40
Four lane or Two lane ? YOU are so confused and have No respect for the law !
Law, what Law?
As the Inspector’s uncle has said, the most important fact here is that no person suffered any more grievous harm than what was reported – Life is not Caymanian or Non-Caymanian. You can see that that the Uncle has responded in Love for his nephew – simple as that.
This is a professional matter and must be dealt with as such – We hope for the facts to bear out and fair judgments be applied. I’m not a Caymanian and of course there are issues… but we need to remember that no society is perfect for all societies are made up of imperfect people – beginning with me.
I wish the best possible outcome for those involved in this situation and I wish peace for All – Have a Blessed Day everyone!
I agree, Crucifixion first offense
1 cross each, queue on the right.
Is he Caymanian? Under the Terms of British Occupancy, he’s supposed to be crucified in a purely Caymanian section!
Alright alright, we’ll soon settle this. Hands up all those who DONT wanna be crucified ‘ere?!
LOL.. This is how vehicles inspected in the Cayman Islands.
So did the car pass inspection or not?
Sorry no. It was no match for the utility pole.
officials will stick their heads in the sand as this is neatly swept under the carpet….
caymankind wonderland………………..zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz
Seeing as these “inspection practices” seem to date back to 1965.. this is probably wishful thinking, but I wonder if this event will, or could bring about some change to the way vehicles are inspected on this island.
On that note: I have been there before and told they cannot inspect because of a bit of rain / and that the road was still wet…as if people don’t drive their vehicles in rain?
He should be fired immediately, made to pay for the vehicle to be completely repaired and arrested for dangerous driving. End of.
Repaired? There’s no repairing that.
Man a wa jes mekin shore it wa road wordy.
I here the Kimpton is looking for a valet attendant.
He should apply.
Lets hope he won’t have to do a driving test.
Everyone knows what should happen in the real world. Watch and see what happens in the third world.
It shouldn’t even be debated. The employee should be held responsible for the cost/replacement of the vehicle he destroyed. Better yet the department should be held responsible. You are not going to tell me this is the first time this has happened??? REALLY??? The other driver needs to be compensated for a rental car and repairs paid for.
It amazes me how so many hate this “third world” but remains.
Car owner: Be careful it is a very powerful car
Inspector: Yeah yeah, I know these cars!
Car owner: Okay…
Inspector: Sorry Sir, Your car does not pass inspection #totaled
That is why when you’re working for the Law, ensure that you show people respect and use discretion. I always say, the law of the land is not the law of God. So the Enforcers of the law may open thier eyes to the changing circumstances of life. When it hits you, it hits you hard!
One day you enjoy chasing the criminal all to find your being chased yourself 😉
One of these days you will post something that actually makes sense.
🙂 give me a big juicy kiss
Smoke much weed mate?
CCTV working this time?
1) Why do they even drive a car if the ground inspection passes?
2) Any private company would fire him on the spot! Sick leave???? For real!
3) How many times has this happened before at DVDL; when an inspector goes for a casual cruise????????
4) As I type CIG has lost money due to the reckless driving of the inspector and the will continue as they pay him while “sick” and then pay him severance and then pay for the car and all the damage.
5) he should be arrested for reckless endangerment. I was on that road with my 5 year old son and saw it all. If he would have hurt or killed someone what would be the outcome?
1 Because he can and get paid for it.
2 It is a CIG company so he can not get fired and it is for real
3 A lot. Nothing will change.
4 At least he will not have to pay for it or find a new job.
5 He is protected under the “I am the Caymanian Government” third world clause so no arrest, no loss of money, paid sick leave and a promotion when he is healthy enough to return to “his” job. And if he killed some one it would be their fault for getting in his way while he was working. Welcome to the third world.
Not third world Son ! Third world people ! They are both local or imported……
Eye witness testimony and the extensive damage to the car prove immediately that he was speeding and driving recklessly. Anywhere else in the world he would be fired already. Not to mention he should’nt have been on the road according to his coworkers. Thats the problem with all government departments today, nobody holds anybody accountable immediately, its always ‘required paid leave’ for 2 years and then they just get released. Its a joke. Fire his ass!
Who is this inspector??? He wont be inspecting my car for sure !
I would love him to test drive mine! Was planning to sell, why not to the Gov 🙂
I believe everything will depend on family and who they know as to how this case will be resolved.
First of all, thank GOD that he is well and alive and that the woman in the other car is fine too. It could have been much much worst!
This young man is my nephew and his family parents and sibling are nothing but hard working Caymanians who respect the law.
My nephew is an honest, hard working, reliable, capable and qualified machanic. He is also very level headed and professional.
So please, all who have posted criticizing him, do not judge him until it is proven that he was driving recklessly. It would be “highly out of character” for him to have taken a car for a test and driven it in a reckless manner.
None of you know what took place because you were not in the vehicle with him. You were not his foot on the gas pedal, brakes nor clutch so how could any of you know what really took place.
Zigzagging was seen by the eye witness. Have the eye witness or any of you ever thought that the motion witnessed, could be caused by something other than racing or reckless driving?
If it is proven beyond a doubt that my nephew was driving recklessly, then he will have to take the consequences of his action.
Knowing him I do not believe he was, but could be wrong and would be sadden to hear otherwise. But I and his family would still love him and support him through whatever the consequences turned out to be, if it was found that he was at fault and deliberately drove in a manner not within the realms of testing.
My nephew is a decent young man AND an exemplary employee of CIG. Not all Civil Servants are lazy, incapable and do not earn their keep like some of you people in the private sector think.
My nephew does his work to a high standard, so did his mother and father when they were CS and so do I and many other Civil Servants.
Again thank God he nor the woman sustained any serious injuries. To the woman whose vehicle got hit by the light pole, I apologize and on behalf of this family. We are all so happy you were not injured but realize how shaken up you must be.
We ask that despite what you witnessed please give this young man, my nephew the benefit of the doubt, until it’s irrefutably proven otherwise. Thank you.
predictable Caymanian reply……”oh Bobo is sorry let him go he didn’t mean anything he is a good man”….a good man maybe…but he did something wrong…never leave the facility compound.
You are an idiot 2:02. Sign, expatriate who ain’t fill with bias.
Thank you 2:48 – 202 you are the silly predictable Caymanian.
My reply is not a typical Caymanian reply, yours is, and is one of the reason why people feel some of us are idiots. For all of you who answered me spouting ignorance, I say again this.
My nephew has been an exemplary employee to date and has been responsible for the implementation of many upgrades that has moved DVDL forward positively.
He was named employee of the month by the CIG. He is a decent respectable, reliable, hardworking and capable individual. The person I know him to be, (and I call it like it is no matter who you are family or not…yes that is the type of person I am). It is not in his nature to drive recklessly, and to do so when he was testing a vehicle for work is far from the what I would expect of him, based on the type of person I know him to be.
All of the above being said, if it is proven that he was speeding and driving recklessly and shouldn’t have been on the road, then he will have to face the consequences. Even though all along he has been and exemplary employee before the incident. This is even if it was a genuine mistake (which I truly believe it was) and not him driving recklessly or speeding for the hell of it.
Let the investigation process take place and the powers that be, make the judgement. Many of us that drive know that genuine accidents can happen where we are not speeding or driving recklessly.
There are instances where genuine accidents happen where you lose control, and end up stepping on the gas, ending up lurching and zigzag across the road could hit a curb and flip etc….and it can appear to an eyewitness as if you were speeding,when in fact you were not. But they wouldn’t know because they were not in the vehicle with you and are assuming.
That I am sure have happened to a good few people in their life span of driving. Luckily for some of us, not to the extent of hitting the curb and running into a pole like what happened in this instance.
BTW I am the aunt of this young man not his uncle, and we do not come from an influential family and do not expect any special treatment. My nephew and his parents and sibling are hardworking people as myself and my family. And are very thankful for what we have. We all have idiots in our families but this young man, is not that type. He deserves the benefit of the doubt until it is proven otherwise.
Anyone that knows him, know he is polite professional and very helpful at work. But yes despite all that….if it is proven he has done wrong; he will face consequences even if it was an accident. I and the rest of his family will have his back 110% and will support him throughout this ordeal because he is a decent young man who we love.
All who are spouting off regarding him being off sick… shame on you. He was examined by the doctor who gave him a sick note..that is why he is home. Even though he was only lightly injured, his body was severely jolted.
As for the posts saying he could have killed someone, we realize that posters, and we all thank God that was not the case. Because we have lived through that ourselves and that young life we lost, will never come back. Also even though it was proven that the young man driving in that instance was speeding, we do not hate him, and didn’t post nasty things about him. He made a terrible choice to drive recklessly but we do not believe he woke up with the intention of driving fast to deliberately kill our loved one. Not to mention the second life he took and paralyzed a third.
Again we are extremely thankful that nobody else was injured. Sincere apologies to all concern, and apologies especially to the person whose vehicle got damage. I hope that the young man realizes that my nephew would not have wished for this accident to happen, also that we all sincerely hope that all will soon be sorted.
Thank you all for allowing me to have share my views.
Aunt
Don’t expect people to be level headed on this issue. This forum offers those who are full with hate, ignorance, and hidden agendas to post their true feeling with the luxury of anonymity.
If your nephew did wrong, then time will tell. Until then, I reserve my own judgement.
Defend him all you like, I’ll honestly respect that.
However don’t overlook the facts and evidence that are clearly there, and don’t under-estimate just how much trust we originally put into your nephew to do his job, and not muck about with our vehicles.
Unfortunately now, all of the trust he built up with me, and other clients, are gone through the window now.
I’m sorry, but I once trusted your nephew with my vehicle, but after this incident he lost that trust through that critical mistake of that accident.
Don’t forget, trust is earned, but once you lose that trust, its exceptionally hard to come back and regain it.
2:58 I am not defending, I was simply speaking the facts.
He is a hard working respectful and capable employee and what I have been hearing bandied about, is out of character for the person I know him to be. Surely I am allowed to say that and you or whoever do not have to believe me. Because believing me o not does change that from being a fact.
Just as it is your right to make your comment about trust, it is my right to make my comments. I pointed out facts I know about him and his character and asked that he be given the benefit of the doubt until proven guilty.
I know that trust is earned and it is everyone’s prerogative to trust who they wish to trust. You don’t have to trust my nephew again…or ever. Nothing in my first comment insinuated that.
That was never what my comment was about. I was simply asking people to give him the benefit of the doubt until proven otherwise. Just like you, I or anyone else would appreciate if the shoe were on the other foot.
Thank you – Top of the day to you.
Aunt
Ha! Don’t worry about the shoe on the other foot…. Your nephew should be more concerned about his shoe being on the other pedal.
lol be quiet lady! Reports say he was RACING, move along.
lol be quiet silly person! Reports say you are an IDIOT, move along.
One of myriad examples of nepotism in the CS – generations of families that can rely on a job in Government through family connections.
On sick leave? Now that’s funny!
I am only assuming that the medical doctors gave him time off from work based on their assessment.
Regardless of what we saw, or what we feel should happen… There is due process to be followed. That I can say from experience as a HR professional in Canada, UK, and now here. To ensure that ALL evidence is gathered and the facts separated from the rest, there is a process to follow.
We see it play out for individuals who kill in public, so we have to watch it play out in this case as well. Sure, the “evidence” as to the probable cause is obvious. BUT due process is paramount.
After reading the comments on social media, I can only hope that the employee in question receives a fair “trial” in the court of public opinion, and he isn’t hanged before all the evidents is reviewed.
I often see preventable cases where CIG should be sending the employee to an Employee Assistance Programme before things get out of hand.
You may be an HR professional but you obviously do not understand the law. The Director of DVL has a law degree. Ask him about the term “Res ipsa loquitur” or Google it.
Sometimes the end result is all that’s needs to draw a conclusion of negligence.
So, if the evidence points to a vehicle with a mechanical problem that the vehicle inspector is not aware of, (such a throttle that sticks open), your mind is already made up? Just asking.
Truthseeker.
It’s absurd for them to even be behind the wheel of another person’s vehicle. If it passes ground inspection, wtf difference does it make? They all just want to drive cars and government has let them get away with it for decades because somebody in government was probably a brother or sister to someone inspecting vehicles.
Excuse me?!!!! The last thing we need is for there to be no regulation of what is put on the roads in Cayman!!! The private garage system is a joke. Be careful what you wish for!!!!
As far as I can recall, this is the first time something like this has occurred, out of the thousands of vehicles they inspect. The purpose of inspecting vehicles Is matter of public safety!!! Yes this one employee will have to be dealt with, in whatever way, but to throw the baby out with the bathe water is a stupid idea!!!
Haven’t anyone noticed the influx of substandard vehicles clogging our roads??? This is because you can go to private garages and get a lil Bly.
I’m sure there are many of people out there who would love to have the bed for inspections to be do away with. But to do so would be a huge mistake.
He will be suspended and can look forward to staying at home on full pay for a year or two whilst the civil service interminable investigation takes place.
Unbelievable!! NO logical reason for the car to be on the road.
Unbelievable? Not in the Cayman Islands!
Were you there???? Experts, CNS is awash with them.
What do you mean by your comment? Do you mean that the owner should not be able to drive his car on the road? Or do you mean that the moron who wrecked it shouldn’t have driven it on the road? Obviously the owner knows how to handle his car and the moron that destroyed it didn’t!!
If the car was not supposed to leave the parking lot then is that considered theft ?
Rumor has it that he has done it before with someone’s motorcycle
Actually the only way the Inspector can test the brakes is to take it for a spin…something that isn’t needed in countries like the UK because test centres use a rolling road and test vehicles to a much higher standard, including things like headlight alignment and emissions, stuff that would make the average citizen of Cayman s**t themselves. And they test in the rain too…
But..if you are not going to have a proper test system, as we dont have here then all you need to do is take it round the compound. Period.
The guy was having a play and got caught out because his ego was writing cheques his skill level couldn’t cash. Simple. No way did the car suddenly speed up or loose braking ability at the same time , as well as have the steering fail so lets hope we dont hear that excuse rolled out. I would expect a immediate dismissal for negligence, a probable charge of dangerous driving and certainly CIG to pay all damages including the 3rd party. Only that way will anyone have any confidence in CIG ability to do the right thing. However I suspect nothing further will be heard. CNS I urge you to keep track on this case.