A Sangre Grande mother and her two teenage daughters managed to escape major injuries yesterday, after the car they were in plummeted several feet into a river and landed on its hood.
While the injuries were not life-threatening, Denise Woods and her daughters Sierra Wills, 19; and Tay Wills, 13, underwent a series of tests at the hospital to ensure they had suffered no adverse effects.
Both girls are students of Bishop Anstey High School East, Trincity.
The incident occurred at 8.55 am, as Woods was driving her Nissan Navara west along the Arima Old Road.
It was alleged that upon reaching the bridge at La Resource Road, the van picked up a skid and Woods lost control before crashing through the barrier into the river several feet below.
Woods reportedly suffered pains about her body but bore no visible signs of injuries.
Sierra complained of body pains with no visible injuries; whilst Tay suffered a laceration to her forehead and side of her face. She was bleeding and had to be assisted by passers-by before medical personnel arrived.
A passer-by who stopped to help the trio was angered by those who opted to record the unfortunate incident, rather than lift a hand to assist the trapped women.
Adora Williams said, “If you see something, do something because it makes no sense standing up and recording, when people’s lives in danger.”
Williams said people around who witnessed the incident ran straight to the river and upon seeing a leg extending outward from the wreck, “tried our best to get them out in a safe way”.
The woman said those assisting didn’t think twice.
“You have to do something to save somebody’s life.”
Arriving on the scene shortly after the accident occurred, former Arima MP under the People’s Partnership government, Rodger Samuel, credited the CEPEP crew who had been working nearby, heard the commotion and rushed to Woods and her daughters’ aid.
He said, “They had to use tremendous force to pull the doors open.”
Samuel said he crawled into the vehicle, which had actually sunk into the river bed, to retrieve some of the women’s personal belongings, including the girls’ book-bags.
He added, “For the children and mother to be alive and safe, I thank God for that and I thank the CEPEP group that was working in the area.”
Samuel said the group had performed yeoman service in the rescue effort, as the terrain was slippery.