Lisa Ball, 53, was thrown more than 20 yards and died after the motorbike she was on crashed with a pick-up truck exiting a restaurant car park near Montego Bay in Jamaica
A British woman was tragically killed in a motorbike crash the night before her birthday as she celebrated her anniversary during a dream holiday in Jamaica.
Lisa Ball, who was riding on a rented scooter as a passenger, was thrown more than 20 yards when the motorbike crashed with a pick-up truck exiting a restaurant car park near Montego Bay on the Caribbean island’s north coast. The 53-year-old, from Keighley in West Yorkshire, suffered fatal head injuries in the crash at around 7.40pm on May 19, according to witnesses.
The mother and grandmother was taken to the hospital but was sadly pronounced dead. Lisa’s partner Anthony Hurt, thought to have been driving the scooter, reportedly escaped with minor injuries to his feet.
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The North Coast Highway, where the tragedy happened, is a busy tourist trail common among holidaymakers travelling between Falmouth and St James. The driver of the pick-up truck involved in the crash was taken into custody by Jamaican police for questioning, reports the Daily Mail.
A witness who stopped at the scene of the crash and tried to help Lisa posted about the incident online, saying it had left her feeling shaken. Kacia Campbell-Jones wrote: “I am still reeling from the shock of the incident, which made for a sleepless night, particularly since it fell on my birthday and your anniversary and birthday celebration. Please accept my heartfelt condolences, and I hope my assistance at the scene was in some way helpful, especially trying to get an ambulance and preparing the A&E staff before she got there.”
Tributes were paid to Lisa, who went by Jo-Ann Pickles on social media, after her sudden death. “Love you mum,” her heartbroken daughter Chloe Watson wrote on Facebook. A tribute read: “I went to school with Joanne up to being about 9 years old, if I remember rightly she lived up long Lee then. So shocked to hear she’s died, she was such a cute, lovely kid, I remember a day out to Lightwater Valley with her. Much love to her family xx.”
“Aww so sorry for your loss heartbreaking xx,” someone else said. “So sorry for your loss,” one more person added. One more tribute read: “Devastated at the news. So sorry you are all having to go through this. Sending huge hugs and thoughts to you all. Lisa was a client of mine. Such a gentle soul, kind and caring. Xx.”
A spokesperson for the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office said: “We are supporting the family of a British national who has died in Jamaica and are in contact with the local authorities.”