Calder Ridge man lucky to be alive after crash

Calder Ridge resident, Omari Richards, is thanking his lucky stars to be alive today.{{more}}

On Friday, August 6, Omari was involved in an accident with a truck at New Montrose, close to the Botanic Gardens, shortly after 9 p.m.

Luckily for Omari, he managed to escape without a scratch but his car, a Toyota Starlet, was badly damaged.

The accident also involved a container stationed on the left side of the road. It was knocked halfway into a nearby gutter.

Omari told SEARCHLIGHT he was travelling from Kingstown towards the Montrose area when he saw the truck, registration number T2159, coming towards him from the opposite direction.

“I saw the truck speeding coming, so I slow down…then I saw like the driver lose control and the truck started swerving in the road,” recalled Omari .

Omari, who was alone in his vehicle, said the truck, “Hit my vehicle and then smashed into the container to the side of the road….

“I was a bit frightened when I saw what happened but I’m just thankful that I came out safe,” he said.

Before the police arrived on the scene, Omari said that he came out of his car and inspected the damage. He recalled seeing the driver of the truck, “fiddling” with the gear stick, before disappearing into the night.

On Monday August 9, 2010, Alison Endeavour was slapped with four charges at the Kingstown Magistrate’s Court relating to the incident.

Endeavour, 24, of Upper Cane Hall, pleaded guilty to driving motor vehicle, T2159 without consent. He also pleaded guilty to driving without due care and attention, driving without being the holder of a permit and using the vehicle without insurance.

For driving without the consent of the owner, Senior Magistrate Donald Browne placed Endeavour on a six month bond to the sum of $1,000. Breach of the bond will result in a three month prison sentence.

He was fined $250 to be paid in one month for driving without a permit or, in default, he will spend six months in jail. He was also slapped with a $750 fine for driving without insurance and $500 for driving without due care and attention.

The court heard that Endeavour, who works at a quarry site at Gibson Corner, had permission to operate the truck, owned by Franco Construction Limited, on site.

It was said that after drinking alcohol in Kingstown on Friday, Endeavour returned to Gibson Corner where the truck was parked and got the keys from a container there.

Endeavour then drove the truck towards Kingstown, which resulted in the accident.