A 64-year-old man has become the country’s inaugural traffic fatality for the new year after being struck at a designated pedestrian crossing on Bahamas Games Boulevard, sparking calls for accountability from grieving relatives. Vincent Hepburn, a father of five, was returning to his Yellow Elder Gardens residence on Saturday afternoon when the collision occurred mere houses from his home. Despite sustaining critical injuries, he succumbed to his wounds hours later at a medical facility.
Family members attribute the tragedy to negligent driving practices, emphasizing that although Hepburn experienced partial blindness in his left eye, he frequently utilized the crossing and possessed extensive familiarity with the area after residing there throughout his lifetime. Investigators discovered a bag of groceries near the accident scene, supporting the family’s assertion that he was returning home to prepare a meal—an activity they described as his passionate pursuit.
Law enforcement authorities initially omitted the incident from daily crime reports, prompting inquiries from media outlets. Following Tribune investigations, police released an official statement confirming a collision between Hepburn and a black Nissan Juke vehicle. Officers documented visible injuries on the victim and noted front-end damage to the stationary Nissan Juke parked on the eastern roadway shoulder.
The Hepburn family expressed profound distress over the inadequate police communication protocols, noting they learned about the accident through their 88-year-old grandmother’s frantic phone call rather than official channels. Hospital visits revealed extensive blood loss before medical staff delivered the ultimate devastating news—marking the first intimate encounter with tragedy for the closely-knit family unit.
Bianca Hepburn remembered her father as their protective cornerstone who consistently emphasized familial loyalty and support. Their final interactions included discussions about Junkanoo participation gifts and recent shared experiences during Christmas services and holiday gatherings. Cooking served as their mutual love language, with heartfelt messages accompanying prepared meals—a tradition now transformed into cherished memories alongside the physical memento of his bedside cover she preserved.