Mother of bride killed in single-vehicle crash

| 01/08/2022 | 29 Comments
Cayman News Service
Scene of fatal crash on 31 July (from social media)

(CNS): A 77-year-old woman from Bodden Town was killed in a single-vehicle crash in George Town early Sunday morning on the way home from her daughter’s wedding. The woman was one of four people in a white Kia Sportage SUV that crashed into a tree on South Church Street near to Memorial Avenue at around 12:25am. All four people in the SUV were taken to the Cayman Islands Hospital, where the woman, who was a retired school teacher, was pronounced dead by the attending doctor.

Two other people remain in the hospital in stable condition, while the fourth person was discharged with non-life-threatening injuries, police said. The woman is the eleventh person to lose her life on the roads this year in one of Cayman’s worst ever periods of road fatalities on record.

The police have not yet released any other details at this time but the collision is under investigation. Anyone who may have witnessed the crash is asked to call the Traffic and Roads Policing Unit at 649-6254 or the George Town Police Station at 949-4222. 


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Category: Local News

Comments (29)

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  1. Spoken Truth says:

    My deepest condolences to the family. I knew Mr. Garcia personally and I’ve heard from a few that Mrs. Garcia taught them in school. I know that this has to be a very sad time for the family anyhow but for it to have happened on such a happy occasion only worsens the grief.
    Out of respect, I wouldn’t ask Mr. Garcia if I saw him what took place, but I don’t see the harm in the public having a full account of what happened instead of relying on speculation. What, I’m sure will hurt the family more is anyone spreading gossip that is not true about what took place or asking them what did occur, later on, recounting the stories that are going around. After all, it is reported in the News and we expect that the media would give factual accounts of what occurred (with the exception of CMR). Asking the questions doesn’t make her any more dead or someone any less sympathetic. (Thank you Mr. Nielsen for putting out the facts right here for all to read and to know as a witness what you know, to quell any misconceptions of this terrible event.)
    This was an avoidable tragedy that should never have happened at all and I know South Church Street could do with a makeover, but let’s all face it this crash occurred because someone thought they had to consume that much alcohol to impair them and then decided to disregard everyone’s life to the tone of taking the life of a precious Mother/Wife/Grandmother/Past Teacher and nearly those of three others. I still don’t get why we can’t place the fault on what is the exact problem. Drunk driving is killing more ppl than we should lose on these small Islands….I say we should ban alcohol sales/serving and close bars on Sundays altogether and just see how that may impact the road fatalities or car crashes. Too many go to Brunches just to drink themselves fool. RCIPS needs to be more vigilant, like they said they would be, targeting the restaurants serving brunches to crack down on DUIs. They really need to do better Policing the roads in the Cayman Islands….too many are just happy to give a ticket for dark tint and run out to an accident scene like some adrenaline junky. How much more have to lose their life before something tangible and proactive will be done? My heart breaks for this family and I pray they find comfort and peace in the loving mercy of God! They are in my thoughts and prayers at such a time as this. May Mrs. Margaret’s soul sleep in the arms of God!

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  2. Anonymous says:

    This road needs to be fixed !

    How many people die on it each year?

    Why is there no sidewalks and the lanes so narrow?

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  3. Sad Man says:

    Many thanks to Mr Lance Nielsen for sharing the critical details pertaining to the fatal accident. The initial report is glaringly opposite to Mr Nielsen’s testimony. I feel vindicated because I was attacked for lacking sympathy for the grieving relatives. I asked pertinent questions omitted from the first report. Margaret was my friend and she would have expected me to ask! RIP Margaret, you deserve the best.

  4. Lance Nielsen says:

    I was at the wedding in the question. The driver had not been drinking. His wife was not driving. The vehicle was not white it was brown. A SECOND vehicle was involved. That driver has been charged with a dui.

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    • Anonymous says:

      and why the police couldn’t let us know about this… for whatever reason, they feel keeping things like this a secret will do them good when in reality you just see the negligence in our government and police force. The incompetence of the RCIPS is embarrassing and a disgrace.

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    • Anonymous says:

      Thank you 11:20. Now it makes more sense to those of us who knew/know Margaret and Morris.

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  5. Orrie Merren says:

    Sincerest condolences to family, friends and loved ones. Praying for strength and comfort. God bless.

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  6. Anonymous says:

    Esp big condolences to the bride and her party. On what is supposed to be one of the happiest days of your life…

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  7. Anonymous says:

    Sad but no different to the articles on Covid and development, traffic. shootings etc. until cayman has a first world government and imposes first world police and governance systems, we will have driving and crimes similar to the third world.

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    • Anonymous says:

      No amount of laws will prevent these unfortunate realities of life. Indeed our current government of clowns is of no obvious help otherwise. May the family find peace and healing.

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    • anonymous says:

      5.37, with all due respect, you surely need to pay attention to
      what goes on in countries that have “first world government” and “first world police and governance systems” and in doing so you will appreciate life in the Cayman islands a lot more, believe me.

  8. Anonymous says:

    How many cumulative road deaths since March 2019? More attention needs to be given to this subject. Yet again, condolences are in order.

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  9. Anonymous says:

    RIP Mrs. MRG, condolences to your heartbroken family. Saw and spoke with her at a funeral on Tuesday. Life can be so fleeting!
    Try to live good!

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  10. Anonymous says:

    So tragic and sad.

    Will this finally force changes to the Church Street-North Sound raceway?

    Anyone that lives and or drives these roads knows that thousands of drivers, both local and expat, break speed limits, overtake, and generally drive like maniacs through this RESIDENTIAL district daily.

    Cars, trucks, dump trucks, commercial trucks, motorcycles abuse this road daily that residents walk their pets, walk or run, or ride bicycles along.

    Its past due for significant changes on these roads. In countries such as the United States, speed tables are used on long straightaways to slow traffic in residential areas.

    Speed tables now, because personal responsibility is an absolute joke, and evaluate the narrow areas for changes!

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  11. Anonymous says:

    Very respectable family I don’t no of them drinking,but regardless they were coming from their daughter wedding.that almond tree need to be taken down because it’s right in the road.sorry about the lost of life please comfort the family oh Lord I pray.

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    • Anonymous says:

      The tree is not in the road. But like all those telegraph poles that don’t jump out in front of motorists either.

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  12. Anonymous says:

    This stretch of road needs to be widened and side walks added. This road is a death trap.

    Why has this stretch of road not been fixed ? I appreciate there is some land acquisitions thst need to be done but seriously this should have been done from many years ago now.

    Why is this death trap allowed to remain ?

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    • Anonymous says:

      Not easy to compulsorily purchase land around that area.

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    • Anonymous says:

      It pretty much runs parallel with Walkers so maybe they make South Church St. a one way road (don’t know which way) but then the road could have a good walking lane too.

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    • Anonymous says:

      It isn’t the road that is the problem , it’s the maniac drivers we have here using the road . South Church St is a plus-century old road way that used to be just a marl and sand single lane track through South Sound. been used for years with very few accidents until recent times. I do agree some remedial work on the road could be done, with the removal of the impeding trees by the edge of the road in a few locations be carried out. But now due to no less than 4 fatal accidents here in as many years, obviously speed mitigation works may now be needed.

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  13. Saddened says:

    Just read the other accident reports on the bottom of the page.e.g Driver killed in single car accident. The general public has a right to know so that any suspicion is cleared. The article states clearly that she was traveling to pick up her car, but it’s unclear if she was driving. Need to know does not imply a lack of empathy but concern for the passing of a friend.

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  14. Anonymous says:

    Condolences to all family and friends.

    11 dead in our roads already, something doesn’t feel right….all the accidents, is it alcohol/drugs? Is it heart attacks behind the wheel? It all just seems strangely frequent

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  15. Anonymous says:

    very saddening news when i woke up to see this news on sunday, condolences to the family

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  16. Sad Man says:

    Lots of missing details! A carefully crafted news release with missing vital information..
    Who was the driver?
    Was alcohol involved?
    Was high speed a factor?
    Was a health issue involved?
    I know we would get more information after a coroner’s inquest, but we have gotten more details on accidents involving bicycles, motorcycles, etc.
    Regrets to all the families involved. Very sad situation. I knew Margaret, saw her at Hurley’s yesterday morning. RIP

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    • Anonymous says:

      Why do you need to know?

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      • Anonymous says:

        For statistics…. why should we not know? Why should you keep it a secret on what happened? Are you covering up for the drunk driver who caused this to happen? Why should people not know what is really going on on our island? Questions like these provide information as a whole on the island but apparently 74 of you think it shouldn’t be anyones business… and then complain when not enough information is put out or when the RCIPS do nothing about it..

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    • Patricia Beyan says:

      Who really needs to know ALL of this information, especially the first few on the list? Someone just died tragically. Coming from her daughter’s wedding. And OUT OF RESPECT for the family because obviously this person is very well known in the community at her age and having been a school teacher so no one is concerned about that information. Who needs to know will know outside of the news. Come on just respect this family is lost it just happened a day or two ago. My goodness. Will it change anything in readers’ lives to know?!

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    • Anonymous says:

      Check Marl Road, if they don’t have the facts they will make some up for you.

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    • Anonymous says:

      Sheesh 10:27… Too soon to know all that info. Logical questions, but too soon to answer, so too soon to critique.

      Patience.

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