Soldier killed in Debe car crash

A soldier was killed instantly on Wednesday afternoon when one of his tyres blew out and he crashed into a lightpole along the Sir Solomon Hochoy Highway, near the Papourie Overpass, Debe.

The soldier, identified as Nickel Zoey, 26, was one of two people in his car, a white B14, registration number PBO 1926.

The front-seat passenger, Zarin Christine Khadoo, 19, was injured and was taken by ambulance to the San Fernando General Hospital.

A police report confirmed that Zoey, of Alexandria Lane, Corinth, was heading south around 2.20 pm on Wednesday when he lost control of the car.

A member of the Hunters Search and Rescue Team, Kesraj “Tonga” Sooknanan, told Newsday saw when the tyre blew out and the car hit the lightpole. He went to help, but when he got to the victims, Zoey was already dead.

He said the fire service had to use the jaws of life, a hydraulic rescue tool, to rip open the car to release Zoey, who was trapped inside the wreck.

Khadoo appeared to have minor injuries, he said.

“I do not know if she suffered any internal injuries, but she was responsive at the scene.”