The Tribune

By LEANDRA ROLLE

Tribune Chief Reporter

lrolle@tribunemedia.net

THE sister of a 63-year-old retired customs officer killed in a hit-and-run earlier this month is calling for charges to be brought against the driver, saying her brother might still be alive had the motorist not fled and left the vehicle on top of him.

Patrick Vernal Gibson was killed on December 9 at the intersection of East Street and Andros Avenue. Police said Mr Gibson had just left a convenience store and was attempting to cross East Street when he fell onto the roadway.

A vehicle travelling north at a high rate of speed struck him, dragging him several feet before the driver fled the scene. Officers later found Gibson’s body trapped beneath a Honda Accord.

His sister, Rosemary Thompson, said the family is struggling not only with the sudden loss but with unanswered questions surrounding the driver’s actions in the moments after the crash.

Ms Thompson said she believes her brother’s chances of survival may have been different had the driver remained at the scene.

“I feel like if he did stay there, maybe instead of them having to lift the car up, he could've just eased like reversed, and he might have come off of him and I mean, maybe he might have been in the hospital today, but at least wouldn’t have been in the morgue,” she said.

Ms Thompson said she did not learn of her brother’s death until days later while travelling in Florida. She said she was still in The Bahamas on the night of the crash, preparing for the trip, when she saw reports of the accident online and immediately feared the victim might be her brother.

The siblings had lived together for nearly a decade. Gibson was unmarried and had no children.

She said she searched for him that night, knowing he sometimes stayed away from home for days, but was reassured by two people that the victim was not her brother. She proceeded with her trip, only to receive a call from police a day later confirming his death.

“The trip ended then, and I did just reach there the day before. So like, my trip was just in vain. I love my brother,” she said.

“As soon as I see that flash over eyewitness page I say, Patrick, my brother,” she added. “I should have dressed and go to that accident because the feeling was just so real.”

Ms Thompson described her brother as sweet and loving and said he did not deserve to die in such circumstances. She said police told the family a suspect had been taken into custody for two days before being released after his lawyer intervened.

She said officers explained that the matter must first go before a Coroner’s Court before a determination is made on whether charges will be pursued. She said the family remains adamant that accountability is necessary.

She said she will miss her brother’s cheerfulness and the quiet ways he contributed at home, from keeping the house tidy to tending the yard.

Another sister, Theresa Capron, travelled from Grand Bahama to New Providence after learning of his death. She described the loss as devastating for the close-knit family, recalling how her brother often complimented her when they spent time together, telling her she was pretty even in her old age.

“Our plans dashed right now,” Ms Thompson said of the family’s holiday season. “We had plans, but I don't see myself like celebrating.”