A woman municipal police officer was killed and two of her colleagues left in critical condition after their marked police vehicle crashed into two other vehicles including a red band maxi taxi along the Priority Bus Route in D’abadie, Arima on Tuesday afternoon.
The dead officer has been identified as Constable Anisa Sookdeo of the Arima Municipal Police Station. Police said she died on the scene.
Police reports revealed that around 4.10 pm Sookdeo was driving a marked police van which crashed into a pick-up van and a maxi taxi near the traffic light intersection at Boy’s Lane.
Eyewitnesses told police that the police vehicle overturned and landed on the driver’s side.
Sookdeo’s colleagues, Cpl Keith Alexander and WPC Diana Seetaram along with occupants of the pick-up van, passengers and the driver of the maxi-taxi were all taken to the Arima District Hospital in serious conditions.
The Ministry of Rural Development and Local Government in a statement said it was "saddened" by the death of the officer, who it said got married earlier this year.
A colleague of Sookdeo, upon hearing the news took to social media where she extended her condolences and described Sookdeo as a “sweet girl.” Another colleague claimed that Sookdeo was recently married.
Investigations are ongoing as to what caused the accident as it is alleged that one of the three vehicles ran the red light at the intersection.
This fatal crash comes on the heels of another accident involving three police officers of the Mayaro police station.
That accident occurred Sunday when the police car crashed into the rear bumper of the citizen’s vehicle.
No one was injured but PC Feon Garcia made a virtual court appearance and was granted bail after being charged with driving under the influence of drink as to render him incapable of driving the police vehicle and failing to submit a sample of breath for testing.