Man escapes death after car crashes off Freeport flyover

A 38-YEAR-OLD man miraculously escaped death after his car crashed through a steel railing and plummeted off the Freeport Flyover, skating several feet before landing on its hood on Monday evening.

Police sources told Newsday that Jamil Mohammed’s life was spared because he buckled up his seatbelt, which prevented him from crashing through the windscreen as the car struck the railing of the flyover which is situated along the Uriah Butler Highway. Instead, Mohammed, of Railway Road, Cunupia, walked away from the accident with only minor injuries to his head and abrasions about his body. According to police reports, Mohammed was driving south along the Uriah Butler Highway in his blue Mazda 626, around 7.45 pm. On reaching the Freeport Flyover, he lost control of the steering wheel causing the car to crash through the steel railing with the car going airborne before plunging 20-feet down and landing on Mission Road.

Fortunately, no vehicles were proceeding along Mission Road at the time of the accident. Motorists who witnessed the incident rushed to the man’s assistance and pulled a semi-conscious, bleeding Mohammed out of the car.  The man was sent to the Couva Hospital in an EHS ambulance where he was treated and subsequently discharged. Police sources said the Freeport Flyover has, over the years, been a death trap for motorists both along the flyover and on Mission Road below the flyover. Some years ago, police sources said, several persons lost their lives after a car crashed off the highway and landed on top of a car which was proceeding along Mission Road. Mohammed’s car was later towed to the Freeport Police Station. Cpl Ralph Satnarine of the Freeport police visited the scene and is investigating the incident.