Rasbert Turner, Star Writer

The ill-fated bus in which the mourners were travelling is taken away on a wrecker. - Rasbert Turner

The Central Village police in St Catherine are searching for the driver of a minibus who fled the scene after the vehicle he was driving with mourners to a funeral killed a teenager yesterday.

Dead is Garwayne Watson, 13, from Payne Avenue, St Andrew

Watson mother, Ann-Marie Nelson, told THE STAR he did not want to go to the funeral. "Yes, him sey dat him did not want to go and now him dead a the body mi come see," Nelson said as Pastor Courtney Brown prayed for her near the accident scene.

"It is very sad when such a young person died under such tragic circumstances. It is a grief that only those who it affect can measure," Brown said.

The accident caused traffic to pile up, prompting the police to changed the eastbound traffic into a two way.

Police reports are that about 2:30 p.m., a Toyota Hiace was bringing passengers to a funeral.

Upon reaching near Lasco distributors at White Marl, a left-rear tyre blew out. The driver lost control of the minibus. Watson was thrown from the vehicle which also ran over him severing his head. The driver upon seeing what happened fled the scene. Seven other persons were hospitalised.