OPINION: The ‘Distraction’ of Official Proclamations vs. the Reality of Dead Young Eagles
By JOHN McCARTHY / St. Croix Sun Investigative Reporter
ST. CROIX — On Tuesday, the Virgin Islands Police Department released a proclamation from Governor Albert Bryan Jr. declaring April as National Distracted Driving Awareness Month. It’s a well-meaning document, filled with warnings about the "devastating consequences" of split-second inattention.
VIPD Commissioner Mario Brooks states, "No text, call, or moment of inattention is worth a life".
It is a noble sentiment. But for many in our community, it feels like a "distraction" of its own.
The Official Message vs. the Human Reality
The timing of this release from the Office of Highway Safety (VIOHS) is, to put it mildly, ironic. While the government asks us to "stay focused" and put our phones away, the people of the territory are currently focused on a much darker reality: the loss of 17-year-old Elijah "Papo" Battiste.
Elijah wasn't lost to a "split-second distraction" by a teenager on a phone. He was killed in a multi-vehicle collision involving a hit-and-run driver who made the cold, conscious decision to flee the scene on foot.
While the VIPD urges motorists to "make safety their top priority," our community is still waiting for justice in countless cases where drivers—sometimes those with political or family connections—seem to operate under a different set of rules.
The Data Gap
The proclamation notes that distracted driving is entirely preventable. In Fiscal Year 2024, the territory recorded over 3,800 crashes, resulting in 556 injuries and two fatalities attributed to distractions.
But what about the "unpreventable" damage caused by the culture of impunity?
The "Protected Class": For years, the Virgin Islands Free Press has tracked stories of "born-here" motorists who, backed by family ties to government or police, avoid charges even after catastrophic accidents.
The Communication Wall: Sending out a news release about "adjusting the radio" while the public is screaming for answers about high-profile hit-and-runs feels like a tactical pivot.
The Duty to the Living
Our duty is to the lives of the people who read us. This message from the VIPD could ultimately benefit our community—every life saved by a phone being put away is a victory.
However, we cannot allow "Awareness Months" to serve as a smoke screen for the unsolved "Human Toll" that continues to climb. We don't need just to "Stay Focused" on the road; we need the VIPD to stay focused on the perpetrators who leave our young people dying in the street while they run for the shadows.
Editorial Note
Kishma Chichester and the VIOHS are doing their jobs by distributing this safety information. But until the "two-way communication" includes hard answers on investigative failures, these proclamations will continue to ring hollow in the ears of the grieving.
What do you think, St. Croix? Is the VIPD focusing on the right "distractions"? Let us know in the comments.
