Dillon’s car crashes into auto parts store

By Jonathan Browne

A white Infiniti Jeep (Carmax QX60) with license plate (Sen. 2) belonging to Montserrado County Senator Abraham Darius Dillon crashed into a car spare parts store here late Tuesday, 29 November, bursting the iron doors of Auto King opened.

The accident occurred around 6:30 pm at the intersection of UN Drive and Center Street behind the Ministry of Public Works in Monrovia just a stone throw from the Monrovia Center Prison or South Beach.

According to eyewitnesses, Senator Dillon himself was not in the vehicle when the crash happened but arrived on the scene briefly and left.

They quoted the Senator as saying he had instructed the driver to park the car at a location in central Monrovia while he rode taxi bike and headed for West Point Township, only to receive a call that the vehicle has been involved in an accident subsequently.

Bystanders, including commercial motorbike riders, narrated that the driver of the jeep, who was not identified, had been seen earlier Tuesday evening, speeding uncontrollably from Sinkor to central Monrovia, leaving pedestrians along the road running for their lives. Others said he was heavily intoxicated.

The impact of the crash left the iron doors of the Auto King, a dealer in car accessories and tools completely burst open.

Its owners, Lebanese businessmen, stood speechless, as they anxiously waited to have the damaged car removed in order to repair the broken iron doors and secure their assets.        

The crash comes barely three days after the Minister of Finance and Development Planning, Samuel D. Tweah and his wife along with two bodyguards were involved in a near-fatal road accident on the Lofa- Gbarnga Highway early Sunday, 27 November.

The finance minister and delegation were returning from Lofa county after he served as commencement speaker of the Lofa Community College.

Latest reports coming in Tuesday said Minister Tweah, and his wife have been flown to Turkey for advance medication.

The Ministry of Finance and Development Planning announces here that Tweah and his wife, Madam Delecia Tweah, who were involved in accident have been flown to Turkey, based on doctors’ advice, for advance medication.

According to a press release issued by the MFDP on Tuesday, Minister Tweah and his wife travelled as passengers on Monday, November 28 via ASKY Airline to Ghana before boarding another commercial flight for Turkey.

However, it assures that Minister Tweah and everyone involved in the accident are stable and responding to treatment. 

The accident occurred on Sunday, November 27, 2022, while enroute form Lofa County, after attending the graduation ceremony of the Lofa County Community College where he served as Commencement Speaker. The emergency rescue team immediately rushed them all to the Phebe hospital in Bong County where emergency treatments were applied on them before transporting them to the John F. Kennedy Medical Center for additional medical assessment and treatment.

The release says doctors at JFK Medical Center in Monrovia have also assessed the medical conditions and injuries of the driver and security officer and found them to be more stable in comparison to the Minister and his wife.

“The medical team provided medication to driver and the security officer and asked them to return on Wednesday November 30th 2022 for additional check-ups to make a decision on advance medical check-up and treatment outside of Liberia”, the release further reads.

It notes that pending the final decision of the medical team at JFK for the driver and security officer, the Ministry of Finance will underwrite the full travel and medical cost of both the driver and security officer out of Liberia for additional and advanced treatment.  

Meanwhile, the Ministry of Finance says it empathizes with Minister Tweah and all of its employees that were involved in the accident and expresses its assurance to foster the health and social well-being of its employees in difficult times like these.

The Ministry also extends its profound gratitude to its staff and Liberians who have identified with the Ministry and the Minister, his wife and others, after the fatal motor accident on Sunday November 27, 2022. 

The Ministry encourages everyone to keep the minister and all the accident victims in their prayers for speedy recovery.

The release says the Ministry will continue to update the public with progress on the medical situation of Minister Tweah and all those that were involved in the accident.