Last month, when Magistrate Angelyn Hernandez signed off on a Coroner’s Court ruling into the 2019 death of Henry Robinson, she told the jury the reason his file came before them was that the driver in the hit-and-run collision was never found.
“It is unfortunate, but the reason why these cases take so long to get here is because the system has done all that it can but justice was never applied,” said Hernandez. “This is the closest thing to closure that can be had in these matters.”
Unless police can find new evidence, the dust has officially settled on Robinson’s case. However, the insufficient proof which prevents police from tracking down his killer is a prevalent issue that extends to several other hit-and-run cases.
According to police statistics, 5,548 motor vehicle crashes were reported from 1 Jan. 2021 through 31 Dec. 2022, with 2,915 of those over the last year – leaving police to investigate an average of 56 crashes per week.
The breakdown of how many were hit-and-run collisions is unknown. However, in December 2021, initial police data suggested that one in three crashes resulted in a driver fleeing the scene.
A look through Cayman Compass archives has shown that between 1 Jan. 2021 and 30 April 2023, there were six hit-and-run collisions involving either a pedestrian or a cyclist.
Need community support
In three of those collisions, police were unable to make any arrests.
“Further lines of enquiries are being carried out that cannot be discussed at this stage,” said police in relation to a 31 Aug. 2021 hit-and-run that left a woman hospitalised after she was struck while walking along Shedden Road.
In the other two cases where no arrests have been made, police say they cannot proceed without additional evidence.
Those separate cases involve two men, the first of whom was hospitalised after being struck along Smith Road around 7pm on 18 Dec. 2021; with the second hospitalised after being knocked down while trying to cross the road at the Grand Harbour roundabout at around 5:15pm on 4 Feb. 2022.
In both matters, police say they have done all they can for now and are in need of fresh evidence.
“No witnesses came forward in this matter and [the] suspect and vehicle involved were not able to be located,” said police in relation to the 18 Dec. 2021 case. “We have exhausted all possible lines of enquiry and are now seeking new evidence.”
In relation to the 4 Feb. 2022 incident, they said that neither the “suspect nor the vehicle in this incident were located and no witnesses came forward. We have exhausted all possible lines of enquiry and are now seeking new evidence.”
In a statement to the Compass, Inspector Andre Tahal, head of the RCIPS Traffic and Roads Policing Unit, said, “Hit-and-run collisions often require input from members of the public in order to get results…”
Tahal noted that while it’s challenging for police when witnesses don’t come forward, it is ultimately the victims and their families who suffer.
“This is very disheartening, because the victims of these incidents aren’t able to get the justice they deserve,” said Tahal.
Both injured men were fortunate to have recovered; however, two of the six hit-and-run collisions that occurred between 1 Jan. 2021 and 30 April this year, were fatal and have left the families devastated.
Slow process
In the other three hit-and-run cases where arrests have been made, no charges have been filed.
In the case of Abele Hiwet, a 38-year-old Italian waiter who died following a hit-and-run collision on 8 March 2023, police were able to make an arrest thanks in part to the help of the public after a person who witnessed the collision chased down the fleeing driver.
“The driver involved in this incident has been arrested and bailed pending further enquiries,” said police. “This is an active investigation and no further information can be provided at this time.”
The most recent hit-and-run collision caused the death of Daniel McFarlane on 29 March this year.
The 23-year-old father of one was struck along Frank Sound Road in North Side shortly after 9:30pm.
The driver, a 47-year-old man of North Side, turned himself in to police the following day, but the RCIPS say he has still not been charged.
“This incident is currently being investigated by the Traffic and Roads Policing Unit,” said police. “The arrested party is currently on police bail, as we continue our investigations into the incident.”
Whether or not charges are filed will ultimately depend on the strength of the evidence police are able to gather, which has left officers asking the public to come forward to help bring rogue drivers to justice.
“We are imploring that, if you have any information about any hit-and-run collision to please submit a tip to our website,” said Tahal. “You can do so anonymously or you may choose to leave your details if you would like to assist with the investigation as a formal witness. We would really appreciate you help.”
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