3 hurt in highway smash-up

FOUR persons escaped death after a runaway goods truck slammed into a car at Union Hall, Cross Crossing, San Fernando yesterday. Of the four, three were injured  including Kevin Sempa of Laventille, Carl Vanderpool of Diego Martin and Lennox Baptiste, 55, of Pleasantville. Up to late yesterday, they were still hospitalised in stable condition at San Fernando General Hospital.

According to police reports, truck-driver Vanderpool who is employed with an El Socorro transport company, lost control of the goods truck while trying to negotiate a sharp corner shortly after midday. The truck slammed into the side of a Nissan Sunny car which was driven by Baptiste. The truck flipped over throwing several boxes of food items, including flour, milk and various beverages on to the road. Vanderpool and co-worker Sempa escaped with minor injuries.

David Prince and Arnold Vialva, who saw the accident, struggled for almost 30 minutes before managing to free Baptiste from his wrecked car. Baptiste’s son Antonio, who was in the front passenger seat, was not injured. The shaken young man said he was being driven by his father to Piarco International Airport for a flight back home to the United States. The three injured persons were taken to hospital in an EHS ambulance. Cpl Mahabir and PC Bhagwandeen of San Fernando Traffic Branch visited the scene and are continuing investigations. Both vehicles were towed away from the scene.