HAMILTON, Bermuda (CMC) – A Jamaican-born soldier, Ricardo Gibbs, has become Bermuda’s first road fatality of the year after his motorcycle hit a wall, police said.

President of the Jamaican Association, Roxanne Christopher said Gibbs’ death at the age of 40 was a huge loss to both Bermuda and the country’s Jamaican community.

Christopher described Gibbs, a father of three, as “a loyal supporter of the Jamaican community and the Bermudian community”.

Gibbs is a veteran soldier in the Royal Bermuda Regiment (RBR) and the son of Jamaican immigrants. He suffered serious injuries when he crashed on Harbour Road in Paget parish on Wednesday night. He was taken to hospital but died later of his injuries.

Gibbs was born in Jamaica but moved to Bermuda as a child.

“He helped with other families in the Jamaican community who had lost loved ones. Ricardo was an advocate for justice, an equality advocate and advocate for everything that is right. He was the best of everything we have to offer.

“The Jamaican community has depended on this man and his grandmother, his family, his siblings are all proud to be members of the Jamaican community and of this country,” said Christopher.

Gibbs served as a corporal in the RBR’s Regimental Police and gave more than 20 years of service to the country.

Lieutenant-Colonel David Curley, the RBR’s commanding officer, said “he will be a massive loss to all ranks in the regiment and will be sadly missed.

“I knew him well and he was always keen and enthusiastic. He liked doing his job — he was always punctual and understood what his role and tasks were. “Corporal Gibbs was also happy to interact and help the other soldiers in the Regimental Police unit as well. He was dedicated and always went above and beyond.”

Gibbs took part in training camps in Bermuda, Jamaica and North Carolina. He was part of the RBR’s disaster relief mission to Grenada in 2005 in the wake of Hurricane Ivan, which caused widespread damage in the Caribbean and United States.