Augustus dazed by car tragedy

West Indies youth player Jonathan Augustus is still dazed and feeling the after effects of the trauma he experienced after the vehicle he was driving was involved in a tragic accident, which claimed the lives of two persons on Sunday on the eastern side of the Uriah-Butler Highway, Endeavour, Chaguanas. Augustus and fellow Queen’s Park Cricket Club players Samuel Felix and Earnil Ryan were travelling together in a Nissan Frontier pick-up, headed for Gilbert Park, California for the fourth day of a trial match organised by the Trinidad and Tobago Cricket Board. Yesterday Brent Augustus, father of Jonathan came to his son’s defence maintaining that the young cricketer was given a “bad drive” which resulted in the tragedy.

The pick-up, driven by 19-year-old Augustus picked up a skid and veered off the highway and ploughed into a group of people who were sheltering from the rain at about 8.15 am. Four others were critically injured as the entire concrete bus shed was mowed down. Shawn John of Morvant was killed on the spot while David Sealy of Maloney died on his way to the Chaguanas Health Centre. Sheldon Grimes, also of Maloney is in critical condition in hospital. The elder Augustus said he was told what happened on Sunday morning by Felix. The rain had started before they reached that area where the accident occurred, he said, and Jonathan was not driving fast because the other drivers on the highway were also taking their time.

“But all of a sudden, the driver of a black Honda Civic, came off the branch road and he accelerated straight across to the right side lane in front of Jonathan who applied brakes in trying to avoid hitting the car which pulled over in front of them,” the father said. “Sammy said that Jonathan’s car picked up a skid and he seemed to loose control as it went off the main road and crashed into the bus shed where the people were sheltering,” he related. “Oh God, it so hard on everybody at this stage. Jonathan is really feeling it. He is feeling real down and  sad at what happened. It will take him some time to overcome all what has happened yesterday and again today,” the elder Augustus said. “He just can’t cope with this especially when he saw his photograph on the front pages of all the newspapers this morning (yesterday). We had to console him.

We are also shaken and feel very sorry for the families of  those who died in the accident. We can only pray and hope that God  also give them strength. Here is a young man who was not driving fast but got a bad drive and could not control the situation,” he said. “Nobody wants to get into an accident. Nobody wants to get hurt on the roads. Oh God, it really have all of us feeling down for those who died and suffered injuries,” Augustus senior said. “Sammy (Felix) said, ‘Uncle Brent, Jonathan was not driving fast and he tried his best to avoid hitting the car which came off the branch road and attempted to merge with the lane on the right hand side going south. Because we were not going fast, the driver maybe saw the opening to rush over quickly. And then it all happened so fast’.

“With his voice quivering, Brent Augustus expressed his sympathy for those families who lost their dear ones. We are really saddened with what has happened and our prayers are with everyone,” he said yesterday. Meanwhile, the national cricketers will continue their training sessions at the Sir Frank Worrell Develop-ment Centre today and will be hoping that the weather does not interfere with the proposed second four-day trial match carded for the National Cricket Centre, Balmain starting on Thursday. Jonathan and Ryan were members of the squad who won the President’s Cup last month in Barbados while Felix played for the TT Under-19 team in Jamaica during August last.