RASBERT TURNER, STAR Writer

The Spanish Town police yesterday seized an Escalade Sports Utility Vehicle that was carrying a body to a funeral after documentation proved it should not be operating on the road.

Both the body and the vehicle were detained for several hours at the Spanish Town Police Station as a result of the breach of the Road Traffic Act. The body was later released for burial about 45 minutes later. However, the actions of the police left persons thinking that not even the dead was being spared under The Road Traffic Act.

documentation

Reports are that about 12:30 p.m., a police party signalled the high-end vehicle to stop while it was travelling in the Old Capital. The vehicle was said to be heading to a funeral when it was stopped. Having checked the driver for the relevant documentation and discovering that there was none, they then proceeded to seize both the vehicle and corpse.

It was subsequently taken to the Spanish Town Police Station and after calls were made, another vehicle came to receive the body and escorted it to the burial ground.

The high-end vehicle is still in the custody of the police.

Meanwhile, a number of persons affected by the actions of the officers said it was a very serious act and that more respect should have been paid to the dead. However, police personnel revealed to THE STAR that vehicles operating on the government thoroughfare must be licensed and insured for the safety of all.