Senior Reporter
kevon.felmine@guardian.co.tt
One of two women hit by a car while crossing a road in Point Fortin on Wednesday succumbed to her injuries.
Police said Pamela “Aunty Pam” Idemudia, the principal of Treasures Early Learning and Special Education Centre, died on Thursday night in the Intensive Care Unit at San Fernando General Hospital. Idemudia never regained consciousness after the accident. CCTV footage from the scene showed Idemudia, along with 64-year-old Ester Gilbert, crossing the Southern Main Road near the traffic light by Egypt Village Government Primary School.
The two women were almost halfway across the road when an approaching Toyota wagon suddenly skidded on the wet road, veering out of control. In a desperate attempt to avoid the oncoming vehicle, Gilbert turned to run back to the sidewalk, but the car hit her, throwing her onto the pavement.
The vehicle then struck Idemudia, dragging her across the road and rolling over her body before finally coming to a halt. Police said witnesses and people in nearby businesses rushed to their aid, but Idemudia lay unresponsive on the road, showing no signs of consciousness. The police report stated that WPC Bartholomew-Peters and PC Guerra arrived at the scene around 12.03 pm and interviewed the driver, a 39-year-old clerk from Point Fortin.
The driver told officers he was heading west along the Southern Main Road around 11.55 am when his black Toyota Fielder wagon began to skid uncontrollably on the wet road.
He described how the car spun two or three times before striking the two women standing at the roadside. Both Idemudia and Gilbert were taken to Point Fortin Hospital by ambulance, where they received immediate medical attention. Due to the severity of her injuries, Idemudia was later transferred to the San Fernando General Hospital for further treatment. Officers took the driver to the Point Fortin Police Station for further questioning and conducted a breathalyser test, which registered zero.
