13-Year-Old Motorcycle Enthusiast Dies in Fatal RTA

A tragic accident claimed the life of thirteen-year-old Micah Contreras, a resident of Unitedville. On Thursday evening, Micah was just a short distance from his home on the George Price Highway when a vehicle attempting to overtake collided head-on with his motorbike. The impact flung Micah into a nearby drain, leaving his bike in pieces and his helmet shattered. He suffered severe head injuries. The crash happened so close to home that Micah’s father heard it and rushed out to help, only to discover that his own son was the victim. In the chaos of leaving the yard, one of his father’s employees was also injured. News Five’s Paul Lopez traveled west today to bring us this heartbreaking story.

 

Paul Lopez, Reporting

On Thursday evening, tragedy struck a Unitedville family once again, just three months after losing a loved one in a motorcycle accident. Thirteen-year-old Micah Contreras was riding his motorcycle on the George Price Highway, not far from home, when a vehicle collided head-on with him. Sadly, Micah met the same fate as his cousin Tamisha Jael did in early September. Micah’s father, Michael Contreras, told News 5 that he had just arrived home from work when he heard the loud crash.

 

Michael Contreras, Father of Deceased

“I mean a loud bang and my cousin who helps me run the company run and say Mike weh part your son deh. I believe Malaki deh pan the soccer field and Micah the inside. I don’t know that Micah left the yard on the motorcycle. He is underage so we don’t allow him to go on the road with the motorcycle. He rides it in the yard.”

 

Michael Contreras and his children shared a love for motorbikes. Micah learned to ride at the age of five on a small bike. As he grew older, the bike he rode got bigger. But, his parents restricted him from riding it on the highway because of his age. They instead used their one acre and a half property to ride.

 

Michael Contreras

“I jump in my truck and drive down deh and when I reach down there I see that dah my son in the drain. He got hit by an incoming vehicle in his lane. He got hit so hard that the helmet he had on fly off of his head. The strap buss, bruk up and ih look like the vehicle drag him all the way in the drain. So, a father’s first instinct is to jump in the drain, check my son and at first, I was scared to pick him up, he was broken up really bad. So, based on first aid training I hold his head a certain way, picked him up and put him over my shoulder, it was like I was holding my baby again.”

 

Michael hurriedly took his son to the Western Regional Hospital. Unfortunately, Micah passed away just fifteen minutes after arriving. In the frantic rush to leave his yard in his red pickup truck, one of Michael’s employees fell from the back and suffered a head injury. Thankfully, that employee has since been treated and released from the hospital.

 

Michael Contreras

“The thing is I had just come from work, so I don’t have the slightest idea where he had been, where he was coming from. The neighbors are saying that he visited one of his friend that lives just across the soccer field. They normally would play soccer together. That is where he went to pick up his friend and bring him to the soccer field so they could have soccer game.”

 

Paul Lopez

“For him, this was a case of thief chance. Have he ever thief chance like this before?”

 

Michael Contreras

“He did it once, and I got on him about it and he never do it again. I guess he felt the urge to do it yesterday, dad is not home, so I will thief the chance and this tragic accident happened.”

 

Paul Lopez

“Was the bike in fact broken in half?”

 

Michael Contreras

“It was not only broken in half, but it was also broken in pieces. When I went the handlebar at that side, piece of the bike that way, the front wheel from the vehicle broken off. My son’s helmet, original DOT, piece flew off his head. This morning, we were picking up some of the pieces. It is just sad to know, bikers are not respected.”

 

Micah had a passion for motorbikes and football, but he also loved being at school. Today, students from Sacred Heart College and several other schools gathered in front of his classroom for a heartfelt candlelight vigil. The school even postponed its sports day to honor his memory. We spoke with Ufemia Usher, the Vice Principal of Student Affairs, about this touching tribute.

 

Ufemia Usher, V.P., Sacred Heart College

“The decision to hold a candlelight and a prayer service came from the students. Last night my email was flooded with messages coming from students all across from first to fourth form, cancelling sports day, having a mass, asking for prayer service. They wanted a moment of silence. They wanted to have something in honor of Micah.”

Candles and pictures of Micah were also placed on his desk inside the classroom.

 

Ufemia Usher

“I was very touched by the number of students who showed up this morning. Normally when activities are cancelled you wouldn’t see anyone here, but students were gathered form eight oclock this morning. They were waiting for us to have this prayer service, so it was very touching for me to see how much love the students have for each other.”

 

Micah Contreras

“Micah is very outgoing, very energetic. Micah loves to try new things. He is not scared of trying new things. Very caring and helping. He is the type of person if he sees somebody needs help, he will help. Sometimes he come home really happy. He is on the bus and say dad I just help this person, I feel so good about it and want to do it again.”

Reporting for News Five, I am Paul Lopez.