The Felicity community was shocked and saddened yesterday by the death of four childhood friends within walking distance from home. Ajay Gosein, 23, Premnath Ravi John, 25, Suresh Nanan, 34, and his cousin Luke Walters, 23, were killed when their car slammed into a concrete wall at Cacandee Road, Felicity, shortly before midnight on Saturday. John, a handyman employed with Water and Sewerage Authority, and Walters, a construction worker, lived a street apart.
John was driving his silver Nissan Cube, with Gosein in the front seat and Nanan and Walters in the back, when his vehicle ran off the road and crashed into the fence wall of Estate Management and Business Development office. The loud impact jolted villagers out of their sleep, many of whom ran to the scene to try to help. What they found, however, was four young men already dead. Police believe the accident may have been the result of a deadly mixture of speed and alcohol.
Villager Vickram Babulal, who was one of the first people on the scene, described the accident as horrific. “I saw the fella (John) head hanging out. One was in the front seat and the other in the back seat. One of them was lying outside the car on the ground, like he tried to jump out. All of them were dead. “I know all of them. They were good fellas.”
Members of the Fire Service used the jaws of Life to extract their remains from the mangled wreck, police said. When T&T Guardian visited the four families yesterday, relatives were still trying to come to terms with the tragedy.
Family distraught
At John’s Tahal Street home, his parents, grandmother and six siblings were all distraught. His sister Mohani John, 26, said they had no clue what happened. “Everybody baffled. As far as we know no-one has come forward to say they saw what happened.” She said her brother had never been in an accident before, but he used to drink. “He is a man he use to drink and lime with his friends, but I cannot say what happened.”
Describing him as a jack of all trades, a funny and free-spirited person, she said he was known and loved by all in the community. She said he left home shortly after 9 pm to visit a friend. When a neighbour heard the crash and saw John’s car, they ran to their home and alerted them. “They bang on the doors and woke us up.” Walters’ mother was too distraught to speak with the media, but in a brief interview with his father Mawanlal at their Boundary Street home, he said his son left home around 8 pm.
“I did not know where he was going, but he usually visits his cousin (Nanan) who living right across the road.” Gosein, a student, and Nanan, a father of a nine-year-old girl, lived opposite each other at Cacandee Road. Gosein’s cousin Avinash Ripla said Gosein had spent the day hanging out with his cousins and friends. “They (the deceased) all grow up together.” Gosein, he said, had an older sister and lived with his parents. He was studying for a job offshore. “He was a jolly and friendly boy,” said Ripla.
As tears ran down her face, Nanan’s aunt Phulmatie Bhim, who knew him from early childhood, said he was like her son. She said Nanan was still at home around 8.30 pm on the night of the fatal accident, but she could not say what time he left home. “I hear he was liming when he see a friend with a van and take a ride home, but he never reach home.” “He was a nice loving boy and very helpful.” Cpl Francis of the Chaguanas Police Station is continuing investigations.
MAYOR: Obey traffic laws
Chaguanas Mayor Gopaul Boodhan appealed to young people to obey the traffic regulations. Boodhan and deputy mayor Debideen Manick, who is also the councillor for the area, yesterday visited the families, extending their condolences and offering any assistance they could. Both of them were also on the scene of the accident yesterday morning.
“Young people, please obey all the traffic rules and regulations. Too many lives are lost causing a lot of pain to families and communities. We need a lot more care and attention on the roadway in Chaguanas and the roads of T&T...Tragic is too mild of a word to describe what has happened. I call upon, yet again, to the senior superintendent, highway patrol and police officers to continue with the community policing, so an event like this will not happen.”
Manick said the entire community was in mourning. “There were about 200 villagers here this morning. It is very tragic and and unfortunate that four young men in the village, their lives were snuffed out in a spur of a moment.” Also appealing to drivers to be responsible was Nanan’s relative Sherryann Holder. “I am begging don’t drink and drive, young people, old people. Stay home if you drink. The entire community is in shock.”
Also visiting the families was manager of the People's Unit in the Ministry of the People and Social Development, Asauph Ghany. He said they will be giving food cards and hampers to the families. For the families who qualify, he said they will also be arranging funeral grants. He said the ministry would be providing counselling to the families and any other assistance they could provide.