A motorist who witnessed a crash that claimed the life of a teenager said he believes a sunken metal covering in the road may have caused the young woman to lose control of her bike.

A’Maya DeRosa died after the incident, which happened in Paget last Friday.

James Mulderig was driving west along Middle Road when the 18-year-old, later confirmed by police as the first road fatality of 2025, overtook him on her motorcycle.

The motorist said that after Ms DeRosa completed the manoeuvre safely and was back in her lane in front of him, she rode over the metal plate, at which point her bike began to wobble.

Mr Mulderig said the rider did not manage to regain control before she fell into the opposite side of the road and into the path of an oncoming vehicle.

Mr Mulderig told The Royal Gazette: “As she rejoined the lane in front of me, the bike hit the drain cover; it was about a six-inch, square-shaped cover and was in the part of the lane where it gets driven over.

“There were just very light sprinkles, the road wasn’t particularly wet. I usually drive at about 30mph [48km/h], but I was probably doing 27mph.

“There was no traffic coming in the opposite direction when she was overtaking. She could see and completed it safely.

“The cover was pushed below the road surface. It is essentially almost a pothole, but the cover had been pushed down.

“Then, leading up to and going past the cover, the road was cracked.

“She hit that cover and started to lose control. She oscillated on the bike for about 50 feet and there was a car coming.

“Her bike went to the left, she fell to the right and landed in the opposite lane of the traffic, right in front of the oncoming car’s wheels.”

He said that the driver of the oncoming vehicle would not have had time to stop.

Mr Mulderig said he “slammed hard” on his own brakes and stopped close to where Ms DeRosa fell.

He immediately called 911. The driver said a former doctor was in the area and sprinted over to the scene, but the severity of the situation was “immediately apparent”.

Mr Mulderig continued: “I was there for several hours. Police showed up and then the ambulance.

“Police were taking forensic photos and didn’t want the cars to move. I was there and spoke with them.

“They wanted a formal written statement, which I have since given them.

“I was the closest to see it and, in my opinion, the physical road surface is the reason she was killed.”

The crash happened at 2.30pm on Middle Road in Paget, near the junction with Manse Road.

Ms DeRosa’s family are being assisted by a police liaison officer.

The Ministry of Public Works has been asked for comment.

Police said: “As the investigation into the tragic road death of 18-year-old A’Maya DeRosa is ongoing, the Bermuda Police Service is not prepared to comment on any specifics of the incident.”

The matter is under investigation by Pc DeForest Evans, of the roads policing unit.

The BPS thanked people who have assisted with inquiries and appealed for witnesses to call 717-0860 or e-mail devans@bps.bm.

Information can also be shared with a familiar police officer or through the online community reporting portal on the police website.

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