Deadly Creek crash claims five

Among the fatalities were brothers Rodney Seeramsingh, 28, and Adam Kim Noel, 23; their friend Sterlin Cox, 18, all of Country Trace, Point Fortin and cousins Vaughn Williams, 25, of Friendship Village, near San Fernando, and Yohance Patrick, 28, of Barataria. Williams, Patrick and Noel were pronounced dead at the scene, while Seeramsingh and Cox were dead on arrival at the San Fernando General Hospital.

The collision occurred about 1.55 am approximately 400 feet away from the Godineau Bridge in an area which is not well lit, a senior policeman told Sunday Newsday.

According to reports, Seeramsingh was driving a Nissan Bluebird in which Noel and Cox were passengers. He had just overtaken another car as he headed west along the South Trunk Road, South Oropouche, and was attempting to swerve into the left lane when he collided with a silver grey Mazda 626 driven by Williams in which Patrick was a front seat passenger.

A senior policeman who visited the scene said the trail of debris left by the mangled wrecks on the roadway suggested that excessive speeding was the reason that none survived the multiple crash.

"It was the most gruesome I have seen in a long time," the officer told Sunday Newsday.

Stepfather Godwin Noel said Seeramsingh had crashed his car on four occasions over the last year since he obtained his driver’s licence. Four years ago, Seeramsingh escaped death in another crash along the Mosquito Creek. "When he painted the car over in black this time I told him it was a hearse," Noel recalled.

On Friday night when Noel’s son, Adam, wanted to leave his two-month-old daughter to go liming, Noel warned him to stay home with his family.

Seeramsingh and Noel, and their childhood friend Cox, had been liming at The Southern Edge at Paria Suites. Williams and Patrick were liming with friends after leaving Williams’ parents’ home at South Oropouche.

"He was loved by all," Cox’s father, Henry, said. His mother, Angela, added that he was making plans to join his sister in the United States to work and study.

Williams and Patrick, who were described by relatives as "close like brothers," were employees of the Water and Sewerage Authority (WASA).

Williams’ mother, Gale recalled the last time she saw her son, "He came to pick up a meal of crab and dumplings for his wife, who is pregnant, because that is her favourite. He was in a jovial mood as he was talking about plans for Christmas."

Williams’ wife, Natalie, who is two months pregnant, described him as "a devoted, caring, kind and generous husband and father." She said he was excited about becoming a father again, and was hoping for a son. "Now he will never get to see his baby’s face," she sobbed.

Natalie, a teacher at La Brea RC Primary School, intends to apply for a transfer as she dreads having to travel along the Mosquito Creek where her husband was killed.

Patrick, the best man at Williams’ wedding two years ago, was a part-time deejay with Vendetta Sound System. His cousin, Jarod, said Patrick had been staying with Williams and was heading home with him when tragedy struck.

Fire Services officers led by FSSO Winston Williams of the San Fernando Fire Station used the jaws of life to cut through the wreckage to remove the victims.

District Medical Officer Dr Clem Ragoobar, who pronounced Williams, Patrick and Noel dead at the scene, said they suffered massive head injuries and trauma.

Visiting the scene were Supt Krishna Maharaj, Insp Clarence Boodram, Sgt Bernard and several officers from the San Fernando Traffic Branch led by Cpl Vijay Ramdhanie. Ramdhanie is continuing investigations.