Driver killed; child escapes death

TWO separate accidents — one fatal, another near fatal along the east west corridor marred an otherwise peaceful Christmas holiday. In the first incident, according to reports, around 4.30 am yesterday Richard Meighoo, 28, of Debe Village, Penal was driving his blue Mazda pick-up west along the Beetham Highway in the vicinity of the Central Market, Port-of-Spain when he lost control and crashed into a traffic light in the middle of the roadway.

Meighoo died on the spot while his passenger, Alex Kerr, 29, of Tobago received injuries and was rushed to the Port-of-Spain General Hospital where he was treated and warded. Cpl Mason of the Besson Street Police Station is continuing inquiries. In the second incident, around 1 pm Vishnu Lalla, 34, and his daughter Parveeta Lalla, eight, of Pasea Road, Extension, St Augustine was driving his white Mazda pick-up east along Orange Grove Road, St Augustine when on reaching the Dry River Road intersection he was side-swiped by a car travelling south to north, causing the pick-up to spin several times and end upside down in the nearby dry river.

Quick action by a resident, Neil Boodoo led to the rescue of the screaming child, while her father crawled out of the vehicle. The injured girl who received several cuts to her body and bruises to her head was rushed to the Children’s Hospital Mt Hope, while the injured man was taken to the Arima Medical facilities by Emergency Health Services ambulance. A relative of Lalla told Sunday Newsday that things could have been worse because the pregnant wife of the driver was supposed to be in the vehicle but stayed home at a last minute decision. Vishnu and his daughter were on their way home at the time of the accident.

The police responded quickly and  held the driver of the car who appeared to be in high spirits and is now assisting them in their investigations. Several residents complained to Sunday Newsday that the 70-year-old nearby bridge is a “magnet” for accidents and despite their many requests nothing was ever done about it. They are  appealing to the relevant authority to have it widened.