Daniel Putkowski, author of An Island Away (ISBN 978-0981595900)
Philadelphia writer Daniel Putkowski, currently in Aruba to support his novel An Island Away, was struck by a tourist driving a rental car early Wednesday morning along J.E. Irausquin Blvd in Oranjestad. Police responded to the two-car accident but no serious injuries were reported. It was determined that the impact occurred when the tourist, a Mt. Vernon, NY, resident, failed to halt at a stop sign and proceeded to enter a busy intersection at a high rate of speed. Putkowski's vehicle was then struck on the passenger side causing it to spin before coming to rest on a grassy median. The author's wife, who was accompanying the writer at the time was also uninjured. Police credited seatbelts for preventing injuries to all those involved. Putkowski's 2002 Chevrolet Silverado crew-cab pickup truck sustained considerable damage and had to be towed from the scene. The vehicle which caused the wreck, a 2008 Hyundai Accent from Alamo Rent A Car, was totaled.
The author, who resides on the island several months each year, is currently on a book tour for his novel An Island Away. The story, which is set in Aruba's refinery town of San Nicolas, has been especially popular among Arubaphiles — those predominantly American and Canadian vacationers who visit Aruba regularly and know the island well. These die-hard fans of the small Dutch island find Putkowski's novel fascinating because it reveals a part of the island far from the hotels and luxurious beaches. The writer will continue his Aruban tour until February 2009 and then will return to the United States for additional appearances.
