Rasbert Turner, Star Writer

Left: The broken windscreen of the car where Osbourne Melburn was driving when he was killed. Right: The stone which lay between the car's front seats. - Rasbert turner photos

Police are trying to unravel the circumstances surrounding the death of a 62-year-old man who was killed after a stone penetrated the windscreen as he drove along the Spanish Town leg of Highway 2000 yesterday.

Osbourne Melburn, who was visiting from New Jersey, USA, was driving a Toyota Probox with relatives towards Spanish Town when the freak accident occurred.

They were reportedly coming from visiting the grave of a family member. "Another funeral again, this is unbelievable; it's really sad," one relative said. "We just bury one brother and now Osbourne dead."

It is reported that about 1:30 p.m., the stone smashed into the windscreen of the car and hit Melburn in the face. He was taken to the Spanish Town Hospital where he was pronounced dead.

The stone was seen resting on the console of the ill-fated vehicle. The St Catherine North police are investigating the incident.

"We just buy patty and eat and everything and the car just got hit by the stone. Is my nephew why we didn't all died," Melburn's sister Veronica Wilson said.

THE STAR was told that upon hearing the explosion, Melburn's son grabbed the steering wheel and eventually stopped the car.

Wilson could not hold back the tears as she retraced the final moments with her brother. "We buried one of our brothers in Alston, Clarendon, earlier. He was to go back tomorrow. I just can't believe he is dead after we had so much fun last night until this morning," she said.

Melburn's son Phillip said his father had taken over the driving as they entered the toll road. He said he fell asleep but was awoken by a loud bang and took control of the vehicle.