Mom killed after wagon crashes into lightpole

SANDRA SANKAR, a 36-year-old TSTT employee was killed instantly when the station wagon she was driving ran off the roadway and collided with a lightpole at the Uriah Butler Highway. Her 11-year-old son Keizan, a student of Fatima College suffered broken legs, while her 20-year-old stepdaughter Kaylene was warded at hospital with spinal injuries. Keith Gittens, 40, the father of Keizan and a teacher at the North Eastern College was also warded at hospital with internal injuries and was not told of the death of Sankar until midday yesterday. He had to be sedated after the news of the death was told to him.

Keizan who was being treated at the Eric Williams Medical Sciences Complex yesterday, was also not told of the death of his mother until late yesterday, and relatives claimed they were awaiting the advice of the doctors on how to break the news to the boy. The death of Sankar brings to 141, the number of persons killed in road deaths for the year. Reports revealed that around 8.30 pm on Friday, Sankar was driving her B-12 station wagon on the south bound lane of the Uriah Butler Highway when she lost control of the vehicle which skidded and struck a lightpole. Sankar suffered massive head injuries and reportedly died on the spot. Fire officers from the Chaguanas Fire Station were called out to free Keizan who was trapped in the front seat of the vehicle, while the other occupants of the wagon were pulled from the vehicle by other motorists. They were all rushed to the Chaguanas Health Centre where Sankar was pronounced dead on arrival. At the Phase Four Malabar home of Sankar, her brother Lawrence told Sunday Newsday that his sister was probably on her way to drop her stepdaughter and Keizan’s father to San Fernando when the tragedy occurred. He described his sister as a devout Catholic who was a pleasant person and  was always willing to assist anyone in need. Valena, the 17-year-old daughter of Sankar was in a state of shock over the death and was being comforted by relatives at Malabar yesterday.