wall at Collector's Hill gas station last week, the Hospitals' administrator said yesterday.

Mr. Hume Martin, Hospitals Board executive director, said it appeared that Mr.

Jones' helmet flew off as he was travelling east on South Shore Road. As he turned to grab it, his motorcycle hit the wall.

Mr. Martin said that a thorough investigation was carried out at St. Brendan's Hospital shortly after the accident occurred.

Mr. Jones had admitted himself to the hospital on March 2, less than 24 hours before the crash.

"We reconstructed the events that took place prior to his leaving, including his arrival at the hospital,'' Mr. Martin said.

Though unwilling to give specific details of the investigation at this stage, Mr. Martin confirmed that evidence so far suggested that Mr. Jones' death was not a suicide.

The investigation has also indicated Mr. Jones was not a danger to himself or others.

"Though he may have believed that he needed some kind of psychiatric care, he didn't appear to the doctors to require any special precautions such as constant observation,'' Mr. Martin said.

"Hospital staff are deeply distressed by his death and we are trying to give as much information as possible to his family.'' Police, meanwhile, are appealing to three witnesses who may be able to shed some light on the accident.

The investigating officer would like to contact a white female in a white car which was parked in the gas station facing east at the time of the accident.

The second witness was driving behind a mint green car travelling west on South Road in the vicinity of the gas station.

And a third witness is said to be a white female motorcyclist wearing a red crash helmet who was travelling behind the mint green car.

These witnesses or anyone else who may have seen the accident are asked to contact P.c. Walter Jackson at 295-0011.