A hit-and-run driver struck and fatally injured an elderly St. Thomas woman as she was crossing Veterans Drive around 6 a.m. Sunday on her way to church.
Witnesses said Gladys Blyden, an Altona resident, was hit as she was crossing the highway from the bus stop east of the Tortola Ferry Dock. She was en route from her Frenchtown home to Christ Methodist Church in Rothschild Francis "Market" Square, where she regularly attended Sunday services.
Police were searching into Sunday night for a red or maroon vehicle, reported to be a BMW or Mercedes Benz, that was believed to have hit the woman.
Blyden suffered multiple injuries and died en route to the Roy L. Schneider Hospital. At the accident scene, her personal effects — shoes, dentures, shoulder bag, Bible and songbook — lay scattered. A long stretch of tire skid marks was visible about 100 feet from where the collision occurred.
Police sources said the vehicle that struck Blyden had been traveling westbound at a high speed. They said she was hit as she stood in the middle of the highway, waiting to cross the east- bound lanes. Police have asked that anyone with information on the hit-and-run vehicle call detectives at the Investigation Bureau, 774-4050, or 911. The Traffic Bureau will take the lead on the case, one source said, with Investigations helping in the search to find the driver.
Blyden's survivors include two daughters who are local police officers.
