FULL INQUIRY INTO CYCLIST´S DEATH

By Humphrey Carter THE family of the 42-year-old cyclist knocked down and killed on Friday by the psychiatric patient who stole an ambulance from Son Llatzer hospital was still in severe shock yesterday with the victim's two sisters demanding a full inquiry. The 061 emergency service and Son Llatzer hospital opened investigations on Friday evening in order to establish how the 59-year-old patient, who had been admitted to the hospital under police guard after causing a disturbance at Palma airport earlier in the day, was able to slip away from nurses. He then stole an ambulance and caused chaos on the roads as he hurtled back to the airport, damaging over 12 vehicles and knocking down two cyclists, tragically killing one. Yesterday, while the victim's sisters applied to the courts for the body of Jaime Modesto Arrom Lostos to be released for cremation, Antonio R. was being treated, under police guard, at the psychiatric wing of Son Dureta hospital. The results of the autopsy carried out yesterday showed that the cyclist died as a result of the severe injuries suffered when he was struck by the ambulance. He was thrown in the air on impact and his head smashed the ambulance's windscreen. His sisters, Margarita and Rosa, were in deep shock yesterday but spoke lovingly of their brother, who was single, an English teacher and was looking after a Chechneyan war child. They said that the family was still too shocked to make any decisions as to what measures they will take in response to Friday's tragedy “but we're sure that our brother's death was no accident.” they said. They said they can not understand how a mentally disturbed patient “could be left alone in a waiting room.” The family still does not know all the details of what happened, but admitted they find it hard to come to terms with what occurred. Police are expected to take a statement from Antonio R. some time today, once the doctors have declared that the patient is in a fit mental state to talk coherently to detectives. Sources close to the case confirmed yesterday that, at the time of the 59-year-old slipping away from nurses and stealing the ambulance, he was no longer under police guard. Apparently, hospital staff assured the police, who escorted Antonio to Son Llatzer hospital from the airport, that they would look after the patient. Police accepted the decision of the member of staff at Son Llatzer hospital as, at that moment, Antonio was not under arrest.