Elderly woman struck, killed by motorcyclist

The town of Layou was thrown into a state of shock late last week, with the death of 64-year-old Anita Phillips, who became the country’s fifth road fatality for the year.{{more}}

Phillips, from the village of Bethrimy, died some time before 7 p.m. on Thursday, when she was struck by motorcycle PL 616, driven by Yatongo Miller, who reportedly lost control of the machine on the Layou main road.

Phillips, also known as ‘Tanty’, had exited a grocery store just moments before she was struck by the motorbike on the sidewalk, as she made her way home.

She was thrown into the air on impact with the motorcycle, before falling on her face on the sidewalk. She died on the spot.

The rider fell about ten feet from where the impact took place, and the motorcycle traveled another 20 feet before coming to a stop near a standpipe, after narrowly missing another elderly lady.

Daughters of the deceased, Vercelle and Anique Phillips, who, along with Tyrone George, a close family friend, described the elderly lady as a warm and loving individual, who would do all she could for her family members and others.

“She was all we had. She was kind; nothing was too much for her to give to anyone,” Anique told Searchlight.

“She was just too good to be true.”

The youngest of Phillips’ seven children, Anique said that, like everyone else, she had a close relationship with her mother.

She said she last saw her the morning of the fateful day, when the two spoke of another well-known resident who had recently died.

“I was up home and I was in the downstairs, and she came and asked me if I heard Sandrina died and I told her yes and she said I am so sorry for Arthur, which is the lady’s husband…. I always used to visit her and she would give me advice,” she said.

Daughter Vercelle said that she had just seen her mother moments before she was struck and killed, and said she believes the accident could have been avoided.

According to her, she was at home, when she heard a commotion not too far from their home.

“I hear the noise down the road and I think is a fight… then I see my neighbour up there start to jump up in the air and say ‘Miss Phillips dead’.

“People was warning him not to go on the bike; telling him come off the bike, but he just come down go pon the bike and knock down me mother right pon the sidewalk.

“It real hard, real painful to lose my mother,” Vercell pointed out.

Phillips was said to be very cautious when walking on the street, and her long time friend, Tyrone, said it was unfortunate that she would die that way.

“That woman used to make it her business to walk away from motors. She used to make it her business to walk on the side of the road.

“Tanty was always smiling. She would always cheer people up. She was a nice, nice lady.

“We used to spend lots of time together; now I don’t have anybody to call me, I don’t have anybody to sit down and talk to,” Tyrone lamented.

Searchlight understands that the motorcycle was neither insured nor licensed.

Up to press time Monday evening, Miller was said to be a patient at the Milton Cato Memorial Hospital and police are still investigating the accident.