Policeman dies in early morning crash

RYAN HAMILTON-DAVIS

A 22-YEAR-OLD Police Constable based at the Tableland Police Station is dead following an accident which occurred early yesterday morning on the Churchill Roosevelt Highway.

Dead is PC Shaquille Mondesir, who was sworn in as a policeman in 2015. Another officer, PC Dayne Horsford, who was also in the car, survived the crash and is in a stable condition at hospital.

Newsday understands, at about 12.15 am yesterday, Mondesir, who recently became a father, and Horsford were travelling along the Churchill Roosevelt Highway, after attending a wedding.

As they neared Lifestyle Motors, El Socorro, their car, a black Nissan Tiida, skidded off the road and collided with a culvert.

Newsday understands Mondesir was flung from the car as it flipped several times, and his body landed in a nearby drain.

Both Mondesir and Horsford were taken to the Port of Spain General Hospital, but Mondesir did not survive the night.

Horsford, who suffered from injuries to the back and neck along with internal bleeding, was taken to emergency surgery and stabilised. Newsday understands that he is now resting comfortably and speaking to relatives.

Horsford’s relatives told Newsday yesterday that as soon as he woke up, he began asking for his comrade-in-arms.

“He kept on asking ‘where’s Shaquille?’, but we could not tell him. Doctors told us that we should wait until he recovers a bit more to tell him the news.

They believe he (Horsford) is not in a condition to be told that Mondesir is dead,” said one relative who did not want to be identified.

Horsford’s relatives told Newsday that while they are thankful to the Almighty that he is in a stable condition and recovering, they still feel shock, and extend condolences to Mondesir’s family, as the two policemen were friends for years.

“He (Mondesir) was a very cool person,” Horsford’s relatives said, “He was always willing to lend an ear to your problems, and would always try to help in any way he could.”

Friends and relatives were not the only ones left to mourn yesterday. In a release sent to the media, Police Commissioner Stephen Williams extended condolences to Mondesir’s family while expressing sadness and shock over his death.

Police and Social Welfare Association president Inspector Michael Seales, told Newsday his association was especially hurt as the constable was very active in the association.

He also made a plea to the public to be more careful on the roads.