A 38-year-old soldier was killed in a mid-afternoon motorcycle crash on the Priority Bus Route (PBR), Laventille, yesterday. According to reports, around 2 pm Cpl Emerson Keane, of Chaguanas, was riding his T&T Regiment motorcycle east along the PBR when he collided with a T&T Electricity Commission (T&TEC) truck near the Fernandes Industrial Estate. T&TEC workers were repairing utility poles in the area.
Keane was thrown off the motorcycle, which ended up under the truck. Although he was wearing a helmet and protective gear, Keane, who landed several metres from the crash site, suffered severe injuries. He was taken to the Port-of-Spain General Hospital where he died while being treated by doctors at the Accident and Emergency Department.
Police said Keane, who worked as a dispatch rider in the First Engineering Battalion, lost control of his bike when he attempted to swerve suddenly to avoid hitting the truck. In a press release yesterday, T&T Regiment public affairs officer Captain Stefan Affonso conveyed condolences to Keane’s family on behalf of the entire organisation.
“May they receive the strength and guidance from the Almighty God and the support from relatives and friends during their time of grief,” Affonso said. Keane’s family is yet to finalise his funeral arrangements. Investigations are continuing.