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The child, her mother and other relatives were injured when, at around 09:30 hrs last Sunday, the driver of Tundra GKK 8834, reportedly inebriated, crashed his vehicle into motor car PMM 8599 in which they were travelling, injuring the following persons: 4-year-old Varshanie; her mother Shamwattie, also called ‘Jeanita’, 29, both of Cotton Tree WCB; driver of PMM 8599, Hardat Singh, 45; his wife Devi Shivnandan; Mellisa Singh, 9, and Drupattie Seelall, 36, all of Rosignol.
Four-year-old Varshanie suffered the brunt of the injuries, and was admitted to the GPHC suffering severe injuries to the head, and multiple fractures and other abrasions. She was admitted in an unconscious state, and remained unconscious up to press yesterday.
Varshanie’s mother Shamwattie had an emergency surgery done at the Balwant Singh Hospital, in Georgetown, to remove pieces of broken glass that had become lodged in her eye. Her spectacles were also destroyed.
The car driver Hardat Singh, who also suffered injuries to the eyes, is now unable to see out of his right eye. He also is being treated at the Balwant Singh Hospital in Georgetown, and on Wednesday was given an ultrasound scan and medication, but was advised that there is a strong likelihood he would have to travel to Trinidad for further ophthalmic intervention.
Drupattie Seelall, Shamwattie’s sister-in-law, was yesterday still complaining of pains from injuries suffered to her right (rear) shoulder, right side chest and breast plate.
Devi Shivnandan, who was also seen and X-rayed at the Balwant Singh Hospital, suffered a hairline fracture and dent to her left side shoulder, for which she is receiving treatment.
Nine-year-old Mellisa Singh, who was in the back seat and impulsively ducked as the tundra crashed into their motor car, suffered the least injury. That spontaneous move saved her from getting glass fragments in her eyes, but her head and back were all sprayed with the fragments. To date, the child remains badly traumatized and unable to sleep at nights.
The occupants of PMM 8599 claimed that the reportedly errant driver of the tundra motor vehicle, whose name was given as Tazim Gafoor, did not suffer any injury; and further, did nothing to help any of the injured. They said his vehicle is left-hand driven, and the point of impact between the two vehicles was at the right side of Gafoor’s tundra, so he escaped injury.
Pathetically, the family recalled, they were just about one minute’s drive away from home when they spotted the burgundy tundra swaying in front of them, and Hardat slowed down to avoid a collision. However, the other driver appeared not to have control of his vehicle, and crashed into theirs.
The irate family members recalled that, after the accident, the tundra driver got out of his vehicle looking dazed for a while, then sat down and began puffing cigarettes, even as Shamwattie screamed and held her bleeding and almost lifeless baby girl in her hands, exclaiming that she was dead.
Family members had to help her get a vehicle and transport the injured to hospital, because the tundra driver had reportedly disappeared from the scene of the accident.
Shivnandan recalled that, in what appeared to deepen the mystery, a route 42 vehicle appeared on the scene, picked up the driver of the tundra, and sped away with him, saying that they were taking him to the Fort Wellington Hospital.
The family is livid that the police had allowed the defaulting motorist to walk free when the injured occupants of the car were still being treated at hospitals; and moreso, the four-year-old is in such bad shape at the ICU at Georgetown Public Hospital.
They say they have contacted the Blairmont Police Station and asked the police to do what they were required to do, and had promised to do. However, no police rank has visited any of them, nor taken any statement in relation to the accident.
