RESIDENTS of Long Bay in Portland yesterday blocked the main road in the district after Kemar Stewart, a 12 year-old student of Fair Prospect Primary School, was hit and killed by a Toyota Corolla motocar driven by 73 year-old Charles Panton, Saturday evening.

The residents claimed that the police have not gone to the accident scene, to properly investigate how the accident occurred.

Police said Panton, a retired professor, was driving his Toyota Corolla motorcar, licensed 4552 BF, at about 7:15 Saturday evening when on reaching the vicinity of the Long Bay Square, Stewart ran from the left of the road into the path of the car and was hit. He received injuries to his neck and was taken to the Port Antonio Hospital by Panton where he was pronounced dead.

Panton, who was taken into police custody Saturday, was released shortly after. But his vehicle is being held for examination.

Yesterday irate residents of the area used stones, drums, broken bottles and a coconut tree to block the road, in protest against the death of the youngster.

Kemar’s mother, Vivienne Palmer, told the Observer that they had gone to Port Antonio together in the morning and later sent him home with some grocery, while she went for her daughter in St Mary. “When I come up last night, at about eight o’clock I heard that Mr Panton hit down Wally (Kemar Stewart) and kill Wally,” she said, sobbing. “He was a very helpful young boy. When we went to Port Antonio he bought a gift which he said he was going to take for his teacher tomorrow (today) at school.”

Sandra White, a resident of Long Bay, said the boy was walking when he was hit by the car. “I started to scream because I thought it was my sister. She said when she checked she saw the boy on the ground. Panton, she said, put him into the car and took him to the hospital.

In the meanwhile, another resident, Herlet Kennedy described Kemar as a wonderful little child, quiet, with good manners and well-spoken.

“The driver is a member of our community and I am sure as a father no one would knock down a child willfully. I am sure he is sorry and should make amends. There is no need for hate and violence and we don’t want that.