Man killed in Freeport accident on way to work

A crash involving two vans and a car in Freeport claimed the life of a 65-year-old before dawn on Sunday.

Lalchan Ramanoop’s family was unaware of his death and only found out about it after a relative went to report to the Gasparillo police that he had not returned home from work on Sunday night.

Ramanoop lived at Lynappe Street, Reform Village, near Gasparillo.

The police said shortly before 4 am on Sunday, three vehicles collided on the northbound lane of the Solomon Hochoy Highway in Freeport.

Ramanoop, who was alone in his van, as well as the two other drivers, were injured and taken to the Chaguanas Health Facility, where, Ramanoop died. The police said the two others were transferred to the Eric Williams Medical Sciences Complex in Mt Hope.

Speaking to Newsday at his home on Monday, Ramanoop’s brother Deochan Ramanoop said his brother worked at the police Mounted Branch in St James, taking care of the horses. He was also a licensed jockey.

Deochan said he heard when his brother left for work.

He and other relatives assumed Ramanoop had arrived there safely, but became worried when he did not come home and the family was unable to contact him.

"He normally comes home from work, so it was strange that he did not return. My nephew went to the Gasparillo police station and reported it to the police.

"The police called and told him about the accident sometime later in the night. We did not know about that accident," Deochan said.

Ramanoop is the third sibling to have died in the past three years.

Last year, Premchand Ramanoop, who was sickly, died. In 2020, another brother, Siewchand Ramanoop, died of cancer. The brothers lived in the same house.

One of their cousins, Stewart Narine, said Ramanoop had been a professional jockey who rode in TT and abroad.

"He rode horses in Canada and all over.

"He got his licence in Trinidad.

"He was not married and had no children. Lalchan was not a limer or a drinker. He kept to himself (although) he talks to everyone in the community," Narine said.

Investigations are ongoing.