Van driver critical after highway crash

Three prisoners who sustained minor injuries in the accident were treated at hospital and taken to the Tunapuna Police Station, where they were kept in cells, and then transferred to the Golden Grove Prison yesterday.

Police reports revealed that EC Sampson was transporting the 25 prisoners in a five prison van convoy from San Fernando at about 5 pm, when he lost control of the van near the Guayamare River. He veered off the northbound lane of the Uriah Butler Highway and crashed into two trailers parked on the shoulder of the highway.

EC Sampson was trapped in the van and lost consciousness.

Police officers called for back-up from officers of the Caroni and Cunupia Police Stations.

The back-up officers ensured that the prisoners in the four other prison vans were secured.

A check was then done on the crashed van, and Sampson and four prisoners were found bleeding. They were taken to the Eric Williams Medical Sciences Complex (EWMSC).

Fire officers from the Chaguanas Fire Station took more than an hour and 45 minutes to remove the almost lifeless body of EC Sampson from the mangled wreck of the van.

He was rushed to the EWMSC where he is in critical condition.

The smash-up caused a massive traffic pile-up Wednesday night.

Police officers were able to remove the vehicle from the highway at about 8 pm.

As a result of the traffic pile-up, people travelling from Port-of-Spain to Chaguanas took more than four hours to reach their destinations after 5 pm yesterday.