Dad dies after highway crash

Uncontrolled weeping went on for hours at Fitts Street in Montrose yesterday, as relatives and friends of the country’s latest road fatality, Curtis Ramlal, gathered at his home to console each other. Ramlal, 38, who was trapped in the wreckage of his pick-up van for more than an hour after a three-vehicle smash-up on the Solomon Hochoy Highway Monday afternoon, died that night at the San Fernando General Hospital at around 6 pm. Ramlal’s infant daughter, Candice Ann, suffered slight injuries and her mother Annette suffered broken limbs. Both were warded at a San Fernando nursing home yesterday. Annette was heavily sedated after hearing news of her husband’s death.

Police reports revealed that around 5.30 pm, Ramlal, a salesman employed with Naisa Ltd, was driving his pick-up north along the Solomon Hochoy Highway when two cars, a Mazda RX-7 and a Honda Prelude, travelling in the same direction, spun out of control and careened into the pick-up. The three occupants of the RX-7 were thrown from the car. Ramlal, who was trapped in the mangled wreck of his van, was removed by fire officers and was rushed, bleeding and unconscious, to the hospital where doctors tried unsuccessfully to save his life. An autopsy carried out yesterday revealed that he died from a ruptured liver. At his home, the dead man’s four sisters could not hold back the tears when the blood stained shoes and clothing Ramlal was wearing were returned to them. The four grabbed onto his belongings and collapsed in grief. Neighbours said Ramlal was an “angel.”

They said he organised Divali celebrations in the area and was always involved in charitable work. Relatives claimed that Ramlal’s death was caused by two cars involved in drag racing and are calling for swift justice in the matter. “Curtis was a good man, father, husband, brother, friend and neighbour, and he did not deserve to die such a horrible death,” said a friend at the house of mourning yesterday. Ramlal’s death is the 98th road fatality for the year. Last year during the same period, 105 persons were killed from 85 accidents. Officers of the Couva Police Station are investigating.