Steel bender hospitalized after being doused with pepper, acid mixture

A man, who up to press time was visibly wincing from pain in his hospital bed, after suffering severe burns as a result of a substance being thrown on him, is crying out for justice.{{more}}

Renrick Allen, a 41-year-old steel bender, is still baffled as to why he was doused with a substance that has caused most of the skin on his right arm to be burnt off and left him with limited vision in his left eye.

SEARCHLIGHT understands that at around 12 midnight on Saturday, July 27, while at home, it is alleged that an argument erupted between Allen and his common-law wife, which resulted in him being burned with a substance on his face, chest and right arm.

“I feel real bad. I didn’t expect this would have happened to me,” Allen told SEARCHLIGHT, as he twisted and turned at the Male Surgical ward, to prevent his wounds from sticking to his bed sheet.

The father of two, aged 21 and 17, who works in Canouan, said he came back to mainland St Vincent from Canouan to attend the 20/20 cricket match, which was held on Sunday, July 28, at the Arnos Vale Playing Field.

Unfortunately, he did not get to see that match.

Following the incident, SEARCHLIGHT was reliably informed that Allen, with limited vision, crawled from his house and made his way onto the main road, when a passerby in a vehicle came to his aid. The driver of the vehicle then telephoned the ambulance and Allen was subsequently taken to the Milton Cato Memorial Hospital.

Allen said doctors have told him that the substance allegedly thrown on him was a mixture of pepper, acid and hot water.

He said he still has to do more X-rays on his body. Allen further stated that he is still experiencing immense pain in his left eye.

The victim’s sister, Mary Allen, originally from North Union, now living in Chauncey, said despite some bad times between them, her brother did not deserve that.

She said after she received the dreadful news of what had happened to her brother, she almost fell to the ground.

“I almost fell because of what I saw. When I spoke to him, he wasn’t speaking so strong, but he told me what happened Saturday night… I am very annoyed, very depressed and heartbroken to see and know my brother going through this kind of trauma. We have our differences like any brother and sister, but to have my brother in this condition is heartless,” she said with as she fought back tears.

A woman was, up to press time, in police custody, assisting with investigations into the matter.