Investigators convinced soldier fell asleep at the wheel

Army and police personnel are convinced Second Lieutenant Colin Julien Celestine died because he fell asleep at the wheel, causing him to crash into the PTSC bus. “Autopsy results showed he died from head and body injuries, and there was nothing to suggest he was under any other pressure,” army personnel told Newsday. “Colin was a hard worker, dedicated to the regiment and was never known to be depressed,” added the officer. The officer made this statement amid speculation that the 23-year-old lieutenant might have been depressed and committed suicide.

Celestine, who enlisted in the regiment in 2001, but soon joined the officers rank because of his qualifications, died instantly when the car he was driving east swerved into the path of a PTSC bus going in the opposite direction on the Priority Bus Route, just past the Cane Farm Junction, Tacarigua. He was at the time returning from Teteron (army headquarters) where he attended rehearsals for the regiment’s 42nd anniversary celebrations to be held that Friday. He was stationed at Camp Mausica. A platoon commander, Celestine had earlier attended the funeral of policeman Aloysius Charles at Sangre Grande. When Newsday visited the family home at Clovis Trace in Maraval yesterday, no one was available. No date has been given for his funeral nor has it been disclosed whether he would be given a military funeral.