A former jockey on his way to work was killed during a three-vehicle crash along the highway near Freeport yesterday.
Lalchan Ramanoop, 64, of Reform Village, Williamsville, worked at the TTPS Mountain Branch in St James caring for the horses.
Reports say the vehicles were heading north along the Solomon Hochoy Highway when they collided around 3.30 am. Ramanoop was driving a pick-up van while Shazard Jhangir was in a blue Hyundai Elantra and Mustapha Mohammed was driving a Ford Ranger. Ramanoop and Jhangir suffered serious injuries and were taken to the Chaguanas Health Facility. However, Ramanoop succumbed to his injuries.
Guardian Media visited his home yesterday, where he lived with his younger brother Deodath.
Deodath said when his brother did not return home, he contacted a cousin who called the police around 8 pm. They then found out he died in an accident. Deodath said his brother was not married and had no children.
Ramanoop’s close friend Stewart Narine said Ramanoop lived in Canada and the United States for several years.
“His life was a jockey and in my opinion. He was a very good jockey,” he said.
However, he recalled that 12 years ago, Ramanoop fell off a horse in Tampa, Florida, and they were scared he was not going to survive. However, he pulled through and moved back to T&T because he could no longer work due to his injury.
“When he recover, he make an application to the Mounted Branch and get through. He used to see about the horses. He had a permanent job there until he resigned last year but they called him back. He was a good worker,” he added.
Narine said Ramanoop’s uncle was a jockey and he followed in his footsteps.
Ag Cpl Bissoon is investigating.
