Rider killed in raceway track crash
(CNS): Local motorbike racer Kashwayne McKenzie (29) was killed on Sunday following a crash at the Parker’s Raceway track in Breakers. Police are investigating the circumstances of the collision, which happened at about 2pm as McKenzie, who was a prison officer, was nearing the end of a race and approaching the finish line. It was reported that he lost control of his black Suzuki motorcycle at a high speed and was thrown from the bike.
The Cayman Islands Fire Service attended the location to assist with the wreckage and ensure the scene was safe for the medical emergency personnel who took McKenzie to the hospital.
He was transported to the hospital by ambulance where he was pronounced dead by the attending doctor. The rest of the day’s races were cancelled and the track was closed in the wake of the accident.
Investigators are encouraging witnesses to call the Traffic and Roads Policing Unit at 649-6254 or the George Town Police Station at 949-4222.
Anonymous tips can be provided directly to the RCIPS via the Confidential Tip Line at 949-7777
or via the RCIPS website.
- Fascinated
- Happy
- Sad
- Angry
- Bored
- Afraid
Category: Local News
HSA vs Health City doesn’t matter a lick in this case. From on-site they could tell the grave extent of his injuries.
My heart breaks for his 4 children. By all accounts he was a good father and those little ones will certainly miss him badly.
I stopped riding bikes when my son was born. When you have children, their needs come first. They cant support them selves.
Not everyone have those same judgments sadly. For some the thrill of racing is a drug that can’t be stopped by having kids or anything else that you can think of.
I’m most sorry to read of such a young man passing away so young due to a tragic M/C accident.
But I’m most angry that (4) young children are now left behind and Fatherless.
I did’nt hear any mention of a Wife left to mourn his passing,only a Mother.
As the saying goes:”Live Fast Die Young!”
I now pray that he at least had his life together to have obtained necessary ‘Life Insurance’ as (4)Fatherless children are sadly left behind due to his accident.
NO WIFE, but four Fatherless children.
Very Sad.
Some people’s lives may not make sense to you, or meet your approval. That really doesn’t matter.
He didn’t have a wife so how do you expect one to be mentioned when one did not exist?
Why you keep making remarks to NO WIFE? Not everyone is obligated to get married.
I would guess that the NHRA in America has spwcific guidelines for drag racing and has approved tracks.
I would also guess that this one would not pass NHRA muster.
I’d guess we’re not in America
Heartbreaking for his four children, poor mites.
Choices
Sounds like speed wobble/tank slapper (death wobble) once it starts it is almost impossible to come out of it even for the most skilled riders.
What I kept hearing from riders that were there, was that the speed throttle (im not sure if thats how is called on bikes) got stuck and the bike sped up rather than rev down when he tried to slow down.
Even my little 125cc ga a kill switch next to the throttle?
I wasn’t familiar with these terms, but just watched a youtube video of “tank slapper” wobble and that’s exactly what I witnessed on Sunday.
It usually hurts but rarely are you thrown high enough off the bike to cause life threatening injury. Usually you take a tumble and slide along the track and into the gravel/outfield. Done that. So was he not wearing proper race leathers or did he hit something off track?
He was thrown 70′ into bush and cliff rocks.
As plenty of them do, George
Parker’s speedway is a garbage track, especially for bikes. It’s so poorly done, and we have no regulations in Cayman to oversee proper track guidelines.
The runoff is just into some gravel dirt…
Bikes should not be allowed to race at parkers let alone cars/trucks with slick tires.
Shut this crappy place down and fix it up properly
Shut it down permanently and ban these stupid bikes. Go race abroad where they actually do something, to think Cayman can create a “pro race track” is laughable
‘they say ignorance is bliss, but i find yours rather disturbing’
Who said anything about pro’s? Its for passionate armatures who enjoy having a hobby testing and tuning their cars and bikes.
I suggest you get off the couch and find a hobby of your own.
The technical standards for a straight 1/8 mile drag race track is not that high. Accidents happen on the best of tracks. Some of the ones whose lives racing has claimed were among the world’s best. Speed racing can be a very dangerous sport.
So sad for his wife and children and family.
First off, my heart goes off to this man’s family that he off behind. Hopefully he is in a better place and I hope that his kids will be okay. Racing will always be dangerous and we were reminded of that today, however, changes can be made.
I’ve been to the drag strip personally and you can tell that there is not enough run-off for a driver in the event of a mechanical failure or accident. Unless if something changed since I last went I believe that there was a hard wall at the end of the circuit. Personally, I’d think it’d be smartest for the facility to add a sand trap at the end of the strip approximately 100-300ft in length to slow down a vehicle adequately. They should also ditch the wall at the end and add a tire barrier as it would result in a softer impact.
I am also concerned with the track surface as it is possible that it is not being prepared correctly to give drivers the best possible safety standards for racing conditions. If the track surface is damp from rain or is sort of dusty, it can result in lack of grip and lead to an accident like that of yesterday’s. The solution to this? Prepare the track properly or at least wait 3-4 hours after rain has stopped hitting the track so that racing can continue safely.
My final concern is that of the vehicles that the drivers are allowed to race in competition. While we see drag racing to see pure speed, Parker’s needs to do something about bikes. They are by far the fastest things on track all weekend but yet they are driven by some of the youngest and most inexperienced drivers there. Parker’s should think to introduce a rule where driver’s need to have at least 10 hours of previous experience at the facility in other vehicles before being allowed to race in the bike class.
While there are other things that can be fixed, (More regulations to prevent failures, staff trained to give medical treatment and crucial first aid to those involved in a crash) I cannot realistically expect them to get people like that in right away, but what I have mentioned should be added or at least considered before they should go racing again. I love racing myself and I have been a fan ever since I was a toddler, but this facility needs to have safety improvements or else it will fall under due to liability from these crashes. Racing will always be dangerous but this is preventable, its just that management does not have the know-how to fix it.
Everyone should realize that these racers willingly choose to participate in these races, and no matter how “safe” one makes a track, an accident at very high speed can have an outcome like this anywhere.
Especially motorcycle racing where one doesnt have a structure as in a car to protect oneself.
The Isle of Man TT races claim life’s every year not only by inexperienced riders but also those of professionals and the best of the best .motor sport is dangerous for competitors and also spectators
roads racing street circuits and tracks for any type come with that risk
The competitors know that when they sign up and Persue there sport
Any personal injury lawyer worth his salt can being a law suit against the land owner. Any indemnity signed is worthless and may only count towards contributory negligence etc.
these people are racers for want of a better word, – its pure, it’s a part of their soul, part of thier spirit. They’re not opportunists looking to make gains with legal technicalities, – idiot
God bless ‘murica.
Nonsense.
Res ipsa liquitur….first year law school tort law.
Res update loquitor – – first year Latin.
@9:33:
For res ipsa liquitur to apply it must be clearly evident that the injuries or damages sustained could not ordinarily have occurred without negligence on the part of the defendant.
The riders are in control of their destiny in this respect, and this guy was one of the regulars, he knew what he was doing. This was an imported drag race bike, and was a special design. He had completed several runs on the day, and also raced it before with no issues. It may be bikes will not be allowed for the next few events, but the set up is as good as it gets. Tragic, but in some respects, that is the nature of the beast.
So the bike was fit for the event?
Was the driver trained for the event or did he just buy a bike and say, “hey, I’m a racer now”?
You have no idea what so ever 9:39 but somehow feel qualified to chime in about the competency of the rider. Although I wasn’t there I can assure you that if this chap had already made 3-4 successful runs at this speed he had a pretty good idea of what he was doing. Someone like you though, if you had bought the bike without experience and decided you were now a racer I guarantee you (or anyone else) would be off of a machine like that within the first 3 seconds, – clown 🤡
tell me you’re an American, without telling me you’re an American.
Wish people would remember that it was his choice to participate.
FFS “personal responsibility”
Health City was closer, why was he not taken there.?
Because they are not a trauma hospital. Only HSA is equipped to handle those types of situations. When they were building Health City, they should have made a trauma room and gotten doctors trained to help alleviate some of the stress on HSA. It would make the most sense for cases such as this when accidents happen in those areas.
That is total bull s..t. Health city has dealt with many traumas and even did a surgery that no one had done to a young man injured in a motor cycle accident that hsa said they could not do. Unfortunately he later died in a car accident. Health city is more qualified then hsa in trauma. He had to get to the hospital asap brain I jury. Every minute counts.
Actually they are not. HSA is I the ONLY trauma hospital in the Cayman Islands. You may see Health City as God but it isn’t. There are a lot of issues with that facility as is, let alone the fact that they built it for medical tourism and not trauma. Why do you think if they or Doctors hospital mess you up, you have to be referred to HSA?
I do agree though that Governemnt needs to look at utilizing a portion of that hospital for trauma to service the northern in eastern district. Get proper staff core trained for trauma to be able to handle these types of cases. It would alleviate a lot of issues
you all need to learn to do a bit of research:
https://www.healthcitycaymanislands.com/clinical/additional-services/emergency-room/
health city has had an emergency room which is equal if not superior to HSA’s for YEARS.
It is staffed 24/7 365.
CNS should post this as an additional note to the story since between here and CMR it’s all anyone is talking about. Health City has an emergency room…government ambulances aren’t supposed to take you there.
They have an emergency room NOT a trauma one dingbat
Key word…emergency…not trauma
Ok so let’s rephrase…an ER that’s five minutes away or a trauma center that’s over an hour away? I’ll take my chances at the former and worry about who the dingbat is is after. He passed in the ambulance. So trauma center or not, hsa was too far away. Also for what it’s worth plenty of HSA is absolute garbage anyway.
Lmao, where do you think we are, Florida? HSA was not an hour away from his location 😂.
No where is an hour away, this island is the size of a peanut. Furthermore, they had police escort so it was even quicker. His injuries made him code, which they would have to stop to tend to regardless of which route they were taking.
If I had to choose death or health city, I’d choose death.
HC has 6 bed ER. He should have been taken there. Current HSA ruls prevented it.
Not HSA rules, government rules.
Have any of you considered that HC doesn’t want to add to their death total with a trauma room. Even if they might have equipment…doesn’t mean they want to take that ones
Georgetown hospital is not equipped for trauma. That is a laughable statement I am sorry to say. The ambulance service can, and has transported patients to Health city on occasion.
Remember, originally, Health City was built for medical tourism and insisted that the local population was not their market. Therefore, there was no need for a trauma room.
Maybe it’s something they can consider with their pending Camana Bay location.
Condolences to the racer’s family.
Uhhhhhh Georgetown hospital is the last place you want to go as a trauma. Health city is the way better choice.
Na, give me HSA any day. Plus, if for some reason you require being taken by air ambulance it is only HSA that can refer you overseas. Doctors hospital nor health city has the right to do so.
Health City is simply not equipped or staffed to handle this type of trauma. A sudden cardiac event or stroke, yes. But not internal trauma such as in an accident such as this.
You guys need to google John miller III. Health City saved his life in 2016 after a bike accident at the end of Frank Sound Rd. Sadly in 2019 he wasn’t so lucky after another accident.
After he was referred by HSA because his case was not so high risk. Smh Kashwayne’s injuries were severe from all that we have been told, HSA was where he needed to be taken as they are a trained and prepared trauma center.
You missed this part.
The Health City surgeon lauded the skill and speed of the teams at Health Services Authority (HSA) in George Town, who were the first to treat the accident survivor. “Because diagnosing this type of injury is not easy, it can go wrong. So they spotted it, and at the right time they informed us and shifted very fast and even organized blood to be sent here.”
This is a tragic accident, but we should all remember this track does reduce the speeding/racing on our roads.Hopefully upgrades can be installed to make the track safer but it would be a great shame if it is closed. The Isle of Man TT races in the U.K.have been run since 1911 and almost every year one or more bike riders have died in high speed accidents as it is run on public roads with no barriers.However international Grand Prix motorbike racing is much safer with gravel run outs and rubber tyres on the bends. I have not been to the Bodden Town track but hopefully these safety features can be installed if not there already, but it is also vital that all riders wear top grade helmets and racing leathers for protection.
My sincerest sympathies to the family of this young man, a tragic loss for all.
I hope nobody from the IOM sees this 3:35, although it’s considered a ‘crown dependency’ it’s not part of the UK 😉
Is it Bodden Town or Breakers? The term “Bodden Town” nowadays seems to cover just about every place outside George Town and West Bay….especially when mentioning where criminals are from!
Bodden Town is the District.
Breakers is in that District.
Then there is the “town” of BT – the first capital of GCM.
That Town is also located in that District.
Isn’t it more logical to say the track is in Breakers then as it narrows the location right down?
Bodden Town District includes:-
Savannah
New lands
Lower Valley – Pedro, Northward, Beach Bay, North and South Cayman Palms
Town of Bodden Town- BT Central, Pease Bay, Midland Acres, Breakers and to the Frank Sound junction.
A slum is a slum.
A few posts above ask question and one speaks to what should change. My concern is what kind of training do these drivers have? None I’m sure for this is neighborhood street racing event. If you’re hosting families and children the event needs to have trained staff, management and DRIVERS or someone else is going to die.
A tragic accident, may he rest in peace and my thoughts go out to the young children and their mother he leaves behind, this will be a very difficult time for them.
Bless his soul o Lord bless him.
My sincere condolences to the family and friends coworkers, may his soul Rest In Peace.
The track has been closed for a while and only recently opened back up (last 6 months). It was also not operating before COVID…?
Why was it closed; to address possible inadequacies previously flagged that apparently still do not exist i.e. safety?
My deepest condolences to the family, I feel even more for his young children, for all questioning the track, I haven’t been there in some time but from day 1 it was not the best surface and yes it should have been extended , but we could go on forever about safety, the sad reality is motor sports can be dangerous and injuries and death will occur from time to time regardless of what is in place, this happens at the most advanced tracks around the world. Rip
My condolences to his family. Please stop with the bashing already as it does not help. How many lives has the track saved since it’s been open? These racers are held to standards that include discouraging them partaking in street racing. It is a tragic accident and I pray for all touched by the loss of a respectful, hardworking and productive citizen of our Islands.
This will no doubt be the end of this facility and legal Sunday racing. I’m not saying that I wish for that to happen, because I don’t. I just recognize that the question of liability is going to be raised as a result of this tragic fatality, and nobody involved wants to deal with that reality.
It’s not like you can just show up and race. You also need to sign an indemnification waiver and also have the required safety equipment and modifications done to your vehicle. The racers know this is a dangerous sport and sometimes things like this can happen. I certainly hope this isn’t the end of the legal racing at Parker’s Speedway because it’s entertaining and keeps people from racing on public roads.
No, it does not stop people racing on public roads. I’m not saying it should not exist, far from it, but don’t make claims for it that are false.
Why? Shall we shut down all sky diving businesses in the world too? People die while scuba diving also..
Humans seek thrill and with that comes risk. Condolences, but he took the risk.
Safe to assume that he signed a waiver
Does the track have a Trade and Business Licence? If not CIG asleep again.
Does the race track have adequate safety standards? If so who inspected this?
May the victim Rest In Peace.
If no license why no license? I am confident representatives of the DCI were in attendance. Perhaps one of them can answer?
that is crafted trollmanship 12:08. Why are you asking these questions when you don’t even know the cause of the accident ?
The track has been closed for a while and only recently opened back up (last 6 months). It was also not operating before COVID…?
Why was it closed; to address possible inadequacies previously flagged that apparently still do not exist i.e. safety?
So you a blaming the track for his death? All due respect to hi and his family, however, he knew the risks and raced anyway. Waivers are necessary, for this exact reason
RIP. Condolences to the family
It was shocking and tragic to watch.
While the venue on a whole is pretty good and is improving all the time the track itself is a death trap. There is no room for error as the stopping distance at the end of the track is too short. If something goes wrong or brakes fail the rider or driver is looking at serious injury or in the case of Kashwayne, death. The track should be extended, and a sand pit and tire wall installed at the end of it. Currently if a driver can’t stop they end up hitting ironshore cliff rock.
Furthermore, there was no emergency services on scene. Is it even legal to host automotive racing without fire and ambulance on site? Perhaps Kashwayne would still be alive if he had received medical attention sooner? We will never know but surely in the event of a crash seconds matter.
Ride in Paradise bro.
well said…we all want the raceway and its a great thing to hav to hlp lower the street racing and giv enthusiast an outlet ,,,,however it has to be properly constructed to maximize safety….all racing comes with risk even at the professional level but the track must meet the standards ..RIP and condolences
Speak for yourself, I don’t want it.
This is Cayman not the states.. professional racing where?
You do realize that we already have limited emergency services? So how can you expect that when you adrenaline junkies want to get your jollies off, they must come and babysit waiting for a potential accident? That is community funds are supposed to go towards? Give me a break.
Yeah you’re right… Emergency services should be reserved for the drunk driving brunch crowd on a Sunday. Get a life you miserable pr!ck.
dummy. that is the case literally, everywhere in the world. You have a scheduled/sanctioned event, medical personnel attends. If an emergency happens elsewhere and they are needed, they go.
may he rest in peace.
however, is this facility legal? does it meet planning codes for such a facility?
has it got insurance?
who runs it?
complete prodding stick to ignite the canards. At the end of the day these guys are choosing to participate in something inherently dangerous and I respect them for that. Is this a heartless response ? no it isn’t, but ‘who runs it ?’, ‘has it got insurance?’, ‘is it legal?’ represents a complete understanding of what this is about and is heartless to the enthusiasts and the community they’ve manifested and a part of their lives. Am I saddened, yes I absolutely am, for his children and family and carrying on without him, but please, leave the prodding stick alone looking to strike blame or accountability when there may likely be none.
‘misunderstanding’ you numpty
OP
My condolences to his family.