Eleuthera, a popular island in The Bahamas, is grappling with two serious traffic accidents that occurred just 24 hours apart, leaving one person dead and another clinging to life, renewing longstanding concerns about the safety of the island’s road infrastructure.
On Saturday, 59-year-old Allan Hilton, who relocated to Eleutherra from Nassau about three years ago, lost his life after his car collided with a utility pole on Queen’s Highway, just north of Hatchet Bay. Police received reports of the crash shortly before 4:20 p.m. When first responders arrived at the scene, they found Hilton trapped inside his extensively damaged burgundy Nissan Note, with license plate EL9907. He was already struggling to breathe, and even though a local physician was summoned immediately to provide emergency care, Hilton was pronounced dead at the crash site. Law enforcement officials have since opened a formal investigation into the circumstances surrounding the collision.
The fatal crash came just one day after a separate accident left another Eleuthera resident, Garaze Hanna, severely injured. Hanna, who works as a housekeeper and driver at The Cove Eleuthera hotel, lost control of his vehicle Friday, causing it to swerve off the roadway. He had to be airlifted to a medical facility in New Providence for urgent care. A local witness who saw the crash aftermath described the scene as “really, really bad,” and his co-worker Bekera Taylor told reporters that Hanna remains “still fighting for his life.”
Taylor, who is familiar with both victims and their families, shared new details about Hilton’s life on the island. She confirmed that Hilton had recently returned to work on a construction project with international musician and artist Lenny Kravitz, after doing other construction and odd jobs across Eleuthera. Hilton had moved to the island with his mother, who still resides in the Rainbow area, and had become a well-known community member in regions including James Cistern and Rainbow. Taylor extended her sincere condolences to Hilton’s family following his passing.
As of Saturday, official police have not released any detailed public report on Friday’s crash involving Hanna. Sergeant Newbold, an Eleuthera-based law enforcement officer, confirmed that the crash took place but declined to share any additional information. Attempts to reach press liaison officer Leonard Ramsey for comment on both crashes were unsuccessful.
The back-to-back accidents have reignited longstanding complaints about dangerous road conditions on the island. Taylor, echoing the concerns of many local residents, pointed out that unaddressed potholes have reappeared across many roadways and that there is insufficient street lighting for after-dark travel. “Well, these roads don’t play,” she emphasized, highlighting the persistent risk they pose to drivers.
With Hilton’s death, the total number of traffic-related fatalities recorded on Eleuthera this year has risen to approximately five, a figure that community members say underscores the urgent need for infrastructure improvements to prevent future loss of life.