[UPDATED] Two killed on new highway

TWO fatalities and an a gun attack on police officers on patrol, took place hours before the formal opening of the Solomon Hochoy Highway extension to Point Fortin on Friday night.

La Brea resident Ottis Roach, 29, and a woman, who is yet to be identified, became the first road fatalities on the newly-opened segment of the highway.

Two others were seriously injured during a head-on collision in the La Brea segment of highway.

On Saturday, Prime Minister Rowley and Works and Transport Minister Rohan Sinanan, along with several government minister opened the Archibald-De Leon Highway, named after two of Point Fortin’s famous footballers.

Rowley and Sinanan also formally opened the Rogers-La Morell Roundabout, named after former Point Fortin MP Cyril Rogers and long-standing councillor Sheila La Morell. That roundabout was formerly known as the Dunlop Roundabout.

Roach, of Sobo Village, La Brea was driving his silver grey car with a female passenger in the front seat.

Around 11.20 pm he collided head-on with another car driven by a 33-year-old man of Mon Desir Road, South Oropouche. Thedriver and a front seat passenger, both of Sobo Village, of that car were injured and taken to the Point Fortin Hospital.

The surviving driver told police he was driving north along the highway, heading to Guapo and upon reaching the #8 Road exit he saw the vehicle coming head-on at him before the collision.

Roach and the passenger were declared dead by a district medical officer and their bodies were taken to the Belgrove’s Funeral Home, pending a post mortem.

Fire officers from the Point Fortin fire station and officers from the Point Fortin Police Station responded.

At the recent opening of the Grants Trace to Union segment of the highway in early September, Sinanan cautioned road users not to use the highway as a racing strip.

At the opening ceremony, Point Fortin MP Kennedy Richards commented on the incident and cautioned road users to obey the laws of the road.

“Leave the flying to me,” Richards, who is a pilot with Caribbean Airlines (CAL), said.

He noted that the road is not for racing or drag racing, but must be seen as opportunity for investment in Point Fortin and the South Western Peninsula.

“Be conscious, and be cautious,” he pleaded with the audience which included the Prime Minister and members of Cabinet.

Kennedy later told the Newsday that the area in which the accident happened was not yet opened to the public.

“It was a case of unauthorised access. The road was not yet opened. Someone moved the barriers and people were just driving on the open road. Clearly somebody did not see somebody and they ended up crashing into each other.”

Richards also commented on the spate of crime, pointing to a shooting incident involving police and bandits along that same strip of road on Friday night.

“Guns are everywhere, I don’t know what to say. I understand the police were giving chase to suspects and there was an exchange of gunfire and the police vehicle may have run off the road.”

On i95.5 FM on Saturday, President of the Police Social and Welfare Association Ag Supt Gideon Dickson confirmed three officers were shot at. Dickson said the association had already made contact with those officers to offer support.

This story was originally published with the title "Two killed in collision hours before highway opens in Pt Fortin" and has been adjusted to include additional details. See original post below.

Hours before a segment of the Solomon Hochoy Highway extension to Pt Fortin was formally opened by politicians, two people were killed and two others seriously injured Friday night during a head-on collision.

Initial reports indicate that there was a head-on collision around midnight in the La Brea area with two cars.

Two people died on the spot and two others were taken to hospital.

At the recent opening of the Grants Trace to Union segment of the highway in early September, Works and Transport Minister Rohan Sinanan cautioned road users not to use the highway as a racing strip.

At 11 am today, another segment of the highway will formally be opened at the Dunlop Roundabout, connecting San Fernando to Point Fortin to a mere half of an hour drive.

Prime Minister Dr Rowley, Sinanan and others are expected to officially open completed segment.