Retaining wall to replace guardrails at deadly crash site

THE San Juan Regional Corporation, on Friday, began work building a safety wall on Germain Avenue, Petit Bourg, just one week after a woman died and her daughter was seriously injured when their car accidentally rolled of the avenue's edge and crashed onto the street below.

Chairman of the corporation Anthony Roberts said the decision was made after Crystal George’s death on February 1.

George’s mother Kathy-Ann had criticised the corporation blaming their inaction in replacing a broken guardrail for her daughter’s death. She said she was grateful that the safety wall was being built to prevent further tragedy.

Roberts said while he empathised with the family, he was doubtful that the guardrail would have been effective in preventing any loss of life.

When Newsday visited on Friday, a trench was dug to begin work while the broken portion of an old guardrail was removed and placed at the side of the road. Work though, was hampered as two water lines were ruptured.

George, 31, of Irving Street, Petit Bourg, died at the Eric Williams Medical Sciences Complex hours after she lost control of her car and it careened off Germain Avenue, off Irving Street. The car missed several houses below, ripping through branches of an avocado tree and landed on Osbourne Lane.

Her daughter Kaisha, eight, suffered a left broken arm and leg and the ligaments in her right wrist were torn. She was discharged from hospital on Wednesday.

George’s autopsy was done on Friday and her funeral is scheduled to take place next week.