Two injured in Little Tokyo freak accident

Mercedes Delpeche and Dave Williams are very familiar with the lottery jingle “You have to be in it to win it!” But the only thing they won last Tuesday night while waiting to purchase lottery tickets was a free ride to Milton Cato Memorial Hospital.##M;[more]##

Delpeche, 53, of Largo Heights, and Williams, 37, of Edinboro, were patiently waiting in line at Little Tokyo for their chance at the EC $285,000 jackpot when a car ran off the road and struck them, while narrowly missing others.

Delpeche said one moment she heard the revving of an engine a short distance from where she was standing having a conversation; the next she was scampering for her life.

Before she could escape, however, Delpeche was slammed by the car. Williams, who was standing nearby, was also hit.

Both were hospitalised with serious injuries just after 6 p.m.

When SEARCHLIGHT visited the hospital on September 2, Delpeche was resting in the Female Surgical Ward with bruises to her face, a cut on her forehead, and swollen lips. Williams was in the Male Surgical Ward, also nursing bruises to his face and a fractured rib cage.

Delpeche said: “I was speaking to a gentleman when I heard ‘vroom, vroom’. Then it took off with one speed. By the time the man try to pull me it pitch me so.

“I was on the ground. I thought I was dead. After I get conscious I try to get up and blood was just all over the place,” said Delpeche, while sincerely thanking Kendall “Kenlyn” Neverson for taking her to the hospital.

Williams could not say much when he was visited. He was able to mutter his age and shook his head indicating he had no problems with SEARCHLIGHT taking a photograph from his bedside.

Samuel Deroche, a resident of Redemption Sharpes, is assisting the police with their investigations into the accident, which involved motor vehicle H6424.

Relatives of Delpeche and Williams were upset that no arrest had been made in the matter on Wednesday and expressed concern that the driver had gone to the hospital to visit their loved ones without properly identifying himself to them.