6 persons involved in highway accident

TRAFFIC backed up for miles along the Solomon Hochoy Highway yesterday afternoon following a collision between a car and a maxi-taxi.

Six persons travelling in both vehicles escaped serious injury but an elderly woman, who was a passenger in the car, had to be taken to hospital where she was treated for shock. The driver of the car, whose nickname was given by investigators as “Chance,” was also treated for cuts and abrasions at San Fernando General Hospital. According to reports, “Chance,” who was driving a Mazda 626, was attempting to overtake a brown-band maxi-taxi on the south-bound lane of the highway near the Preysal flyover when he lost control of his vehicle and struck the maxi-taxi. The accident occurred around 1.30 pm while maxi driver, Bobby Ramchandra, 26, of Gonsalves Village, Point Fortin, was heading back to Point Fortin accompanied by Damien John, of Chinese Village, La Brea and Raynier Mohammed, 18, of Gonsalves Village.

Mohammed told Newsday they were returning home after buying a vehicle part for John’s maxi-taxi in Chase Village. “We were just cruising because it was only Saturday we changed the engine in the maxi. We were just taking our time coming down the road,” Mohammed said. He added that while they were travelling on the left lane, a truck was overtaking them on the right of the maxi-taxi. “The 626 tried to overtake,” he said, meaning that “Chance” intended to get between the overtaking truck and the maxi, “When he couldn’t make, he hit us from behind,” John said. Couva Traffic Branch police are continuing investigations.