CLARENDON, Jamaica— The police in Clarendon are warning motorists to be careful when traversing the major thoroughfares especially along the toll road as unscrupulous people are setting traps on the roadways causing damage to vehicles.

 This comes after a police officer was seriously injured and had to be hospitalized after he picked up a flat tyre on a section of the East/West toll road. 

It is reported that the officer assigned to the St Catherine police was on his was to work sometime after 3:00 am when he picked up a flat tyre. While changing the tyre, he was attacked and stabbed 14 times in the back by an unknown assailant. He remains in hospital in stable condition. 

Head of operations in Clarendon, Superintendent Christopher Phillips told OBSERVER ONLINE that the officer got into a struggle with his attacker and managed to disarm him of a shotgun.

"We would like to remind residents to be extremely careful when travelling at certain hours of the night or morning and to look out for debris set on the roads to get your attention and to get you to stop so they can commit their criminal acts." 

Superintendent Phillips also expressed concern that the officer in an attempt to get to the May Pen Hospital was being turned back at the toll booth after explaining that he was wounded and was in need of immediate medical attention.

"It is worrying that the operators didn't want to allow him to pass the toll booth. We will certainly look into the issue and see where the gaps are and seek to have them addressed," he said.