radhica.sookraj@guardian.co.tt
While Carnival murders declined this year, road fatalities increased with at least six people dying in vehicular accidents during the festive season.
Among those who died was Isaiah Lopez who died at around 10.15 am when the car in which he was travelling slammed into a utility pole along the Mayaro/Manzanilla Road. Lopez and the driver of the car, Owen Jawahir, 22 of Arima, had been heading to Sangre Grande to purchase items for their camp group.
Also dead in a separate incident was Mark Hosan whose Suzuki Gran Vitara crashed through the front wall of a residence at the Eastern Main Road in Curepe before smashed through a railing, billboard and a retaining wall.
The incident happened near Massy Stores. Hosan’s vehicle caught fire upon impact.
On Sunday, 17-year-old Miguel Rattan also died when a car driven by his brother-in-law Shane Sampath crashed near Cox’s meat shop at the Penal Rock Road. Sampath’s wife Nilesha Jattan Sampath, who is Rattan’s sister suffered injuries to her legs.
Both Sampath and his wife are expected to be discharged from the San Fernando Hospital.
During an interview yesterday, Rattan’s grandmother Zulika Mohammed said the accident had devastated the family. She said Nilesha, Shane and Miguel were on their way to visit Shane’s mother at Seemungal Trace when they got into an accident near Cox Meat Shop.
“I don’t know what happened to cause the accident but when I got there the police had already taken them to the hospital. (Nilesha) got some injuries to her foot and Shane also got some injuries. They doing OK and they should be discharged soon,” she said.
The car which landed on its hood next to a culvert was badly damaged.
Mohammed said her grandson was a loving boy who wanted to become a police officer.
She said he attended the Shiva Boys Hindu College and was looking forward to joining the Police Force.
Shiva Boys Hindu College extended condolences to the Jattan family saying he will always be remembered for his pleasant, quiet and respectful demeanour. An autopsy is scheduled to be done on Wednesday.
Meanwhile, In Las Lomas, biker Kevin James also known as Reddo died, after the motorcycle, he was riding collided with a light pole at Ramoo Trace, Las Lomas.
His relatives said he was not intoxicated because he stopped drinking alcohol a long time ago.
On Sunday, 24-year-old mother Precious Williams, of Hospital Street, Princes Town, also died while returning from a prayer vigil. She was in the back of a gold Mazda 323 when another car, driven by Kevon Roopchand, crashed into them.
She died on the spot.