Fiery crash claims two UK citizens

A third occupant of the vehicle, another British national, was pulled from the burning jeep and rushed to Westshore Medical where he underwent emergency surgery.

The victims have been identified as Patrick Zimmer, 36, an engineer who was staying at Fort George, and Maggie Howard, 40, who was living at Number 2, Stratford Court, Westmoorings, with her husband Ian and her six- year-old son.

Relatives of the two dead persons were too distraught to be interviewed.

The lone survivor Jason Cardenas, 39, of Regent Towers, Westmoorings, was in critical condition yesterday.

An eyewitness to the bizarre crash said he was standing in his yard, when he heard a loud explosion. When he looked out he saw a man trying to free himself from a burning jeep. He ran out of his yard and pulled the injured Cardenas from the jeep and called for an ambulance to take him to hospital.

The other two occupants of the car were already dead.

According to reports, Zimmer was driving west along Ariapita Avenue, when he attempted to turn south, lost control of the vehicle and struck the median. The vehicle overturned, trapping all three occupants inside.

Officers from the Wrightson Road Fire Department led by Fire Station Officer Clunis Wallen and including officer Pascall, along with Sgt Duncan and Cpl Watson of the St James Police Station rushed to the scene. The firemen had to turn over the capsized jeep so that undertakers could remove the two charred bodies from the wreckage.

The bodies were viewed by a District Medical Officer and ordered removed to the mortuary.

Motorists and residents living in the vicinity of the horrific crash looked on as the bodies, which were burnt beyond recognition, were removed from the scene.

Sunday Newsday was told that on Friday night, Ian Howard, his wife Maggie, Zimmer and Cardenas went to Tony Romas for dinner. Ian returned home after spending some time at the restaurant, but his wife, Zimmer and Cardenas went on to Club Zen.

Howard and Cardenas are project managers at Fujitsu, while Zimmer is an engineer. Zimmer’s wife is also in Trinidad.

When Sunday Newsday visited the Howard’s home we were told that Ian Howard was in a state of shock over the deaths.

The two deaths pushed the road fatality for the year to 130 for the year thus far. Cpl Watson of the St James Police Station is investigating.