Mom of 3 and UWI librarian die in car crash

A mother of three and a librarian attached to the University of the West Indies, became the country’s latest road fatality victims when the car in which they were passengers, collided with another car at the O’Meara Intersection of the Churchill Roosevelt Highway early yesterday.

Their deaths caused the road fatality rate to move to 102 persons killed for the year so far. Carla Romania Clarke, 32, died instantly following the accident, while Christopher Phillip, 24, the librarian, died around 4 am at the Port-of-Spain General Hospital during emergency surgery. The driver of the car, Gerald Phillip, 39, survived the accident but suffered severe injuries to the pelvic region. He was resting in serious condition at hospital yesterday.

According to police reports, around 12.30 am yesterday, Gerald Phillip was driving his car east along the Churchill Roosevelt Highway, when he lost control of his car and swerved into the path of vehicle PBM 2952 which was travelling in the opposite direction. The car then deviated on the southern side of the highway and crashed into an electricity post. Clarke died immediately, while Christopher was severely injured. He died hours later at hospital. District Medical Officer Dr Vidya Maharaj along with Cpls Antoine and photographer Cpl Clarine Diamond went to the scene. Christopher and his brother Gerald were rushed to the Port-of-Spain General Hospital. Gerald was treated and warded while Christopher died while undergoing emergency surgery.

At La Horquetta yesterday Joycelyn Phillip, mother of the victim described her son as a “Saltfish.” She claimed that Christopher was her youngest child and was loved by everyone who knew him. The weeping mother of five said that her two sons left home on Saturday night saying that they were going to Tacarigua to pick up Carla. She said that she never thought that it was the last time that she would ever see Christopher alive again. Sobbing uncontrollably, the grieving woman explained that she was asleep around midnight when she was told by her husband that Christopher was injured in an accident. As a result, she went to the Port-of-Spain General Hospital where she was told that emergency surgery was being carried out. After waiting for hours, she asked nurses at the hospital for information on her son, but nobody bothered to inform her that Christopher had died. She was informed of the death only around 7 am yesterday. A relative who broke the news of the two deaths to Gerald said that he took the news of both deaths very badly.

The driver of the car which Phillip crashed into allegedly fled the scene shortly after the accident. Both cars were towed to the Arima Police Station. At Peters Street, Tacarigua, the three children of Carla stared at her picture and wept. They claimed that Carla who was a housekeeper, was a good mother. They expressed shock over her death and added that she will be sadly missed. The parents of Carla are expected to return from the United States today to finalise funeral arrangements. Cpl Antoine of the Arima Police Station is investigating.