Last Updated on June 24, 2026, 2:53 PM AST by Anthony Morris
Nevis recorded its first road fatality of 2026 on Monday June 22, 2026. Keshawn Merchant of Pond Hill, Gingerland lost his life in a traffic accident. The incident happened at approximately 9:10 p.m. at the Island Main Road in the vicinity of Old Hospital Road, Charlestown.
Currently the investigation of the accident is being handled by the Traffic Department of the Royal St. Christopher and Nevis Police Force. According to the preliminary investigation from the department, Merchant was riding the motor scooter PB 3431 from Pinney’s toward Charlestown and lost control while driving and collided with a concrete wall on the mountainside of the roadway.
At the site of the accident, responding officers found the lifeless body of the Merchant. They also shared that the scooter sustained significant damage in the aftermath of the crash. Keshawn Merchant was declared dead by the Dr. Tivone Browne around 9:39 p.m. after he examined the body at the accident scene.
The police department has announced that the autopsy will be organised to find out the exact reason for Merchant’s death. Moreover, the Royal St. Christopher and Nevis Police Force also released a statement on social media rumors about involvement of the police vehicle in the accident. The department denied all the rumors about the involvement of a police vehicle. They confirmed that their investigation has yielded no evidence of a police vehicle being around the scene at the time of the crash.
The Police department said, “No police vehicle was in the area at the time of the collision and that all police units observed at the scene arrived in response to the accident”.
Additionally, the Nevis Traffic Department stated that the investigation of the island’s first road fatality accident is ongoing and requested the public to not spread rumors during the process of investigation. The Royal St. Christopher and Nevis Police Force also extended their condolences to the family, friends and loved ones of Keshawn Merchant.
Anthony Morris covers stories related to politics and regional developments. His in-depth reporting about governance and reforms makes him stand out in regional journalism, with a deep analysis of political trends and their impact on Caribbean communities.
