T&T best friends die in highway crash

(Trinidad Guardian) A night of fun at a neighbourhood party ended in tragedy yesterday, when an early morning accident in Chaguanas claimed the lives of two friends, leaving one in a critical condition at hospital. Village mechanic 24-year-old Gregory Sealy Jnr of Palm Avenue, Carapichaima, died upon impact when the Mitsubishi Lancer he drove ran off the road along the Solomon Hochoy Highway. Front seat passenger 22-year-old businessman Matthew Appoo of Orangefield Settlement died moments later, before the ambulance could arrive. Crystal Balkaran, who was receiving a ride to work, was up to yesterday in a critical condition at the San Fernando General Hospital.

According to reports, the victims were travelling north along the highway when, upon reaching the vicinity of Seeraram Brother Contractors, a truck struck the rear end of their vehicle. Police said Sealy lost control of the car and ran off the road, crashing into a small depression while the truck drove off. Speaking at Sealy’s home yesterday, his brother Brian said the deaths had saddened the entire community. He recalled that his brother and Appoo had partied on Friday night and were in a joyous mood. He said when they woke up yesterday morning, they borrowed a friend’s car to go to Cunupia to meet another friend. Along the way, he said they picked up Balkaran to transport her to work at Price Club in Chaguanas. He said Sealy had planned to start a home business in 2012.

Sealy was the father of four-year-old Natalie. He was described as a calm and helpful person who was loved by many. Both men, he said, were close friends since childhood and that they “rode together and died together.” Relatives and friends gathered at Appoo’s home to offer support for the bereaved family. A teary mother Devika Appoo recalled that around 7 am she got a call from a friend who delivered the tragic news. “Matthew told me he was sleepy and he was not feeling to go anywhere again, so I told him to go and sleep. He then decided to go because he said he got invited to two parties. I got a call from a police who used Matthew’s phone to call and said he wanted to talk to my husband. When the news hit, everyone started to bawl and scamper around the place.” She said her son was the best child who passed through the community as he was admired by all because of his respectable and charitable attitude.