Warriors fans killed in crash
By Cecily Asson (Trinidad Newsday)
A former volleyball player and a student of the University of the West Indies (UWI) died in a car crash early yesterday morning while returning home from a Port-of-Spain nightclub where they had gone to celebrate Trinidad and Tobago’s victory over Cuba in a 2010 FIFA World Cup qualifying round game.
Former insurance salesman Vindra Rocky Ramai, 27, of Ramai Trace, Debe and UWI first-year student Shannon Phillip, 20, of Coora Road, Siparia were among the thousands in the Hasley Crawford Stadium who witnessed Soca Warriors’ triumph, on Wednesday night, to head into the next round of the World Cup qualifiers.
Phillip is one of the twin sons of ASP Celestine Phillip, head of the Homicide Bureau, Southwestern Division. His brother is Sean.
Injured and in serious condition at the San Fernando General Hospital is Ramai’s brother Russell, 22, who is also a first-year UWI student. Russell was transferred from the Adult Hospital, Eric Williams Medical Sciences Complex, Mt Hope, where he first received treatment. Two other unidentified UWI students were also injured.
Ramai was on his way to UWI, St Augustine, to drop off Russell, Phillip and their two friends when tragedy struck. It is reported that Ramai was preparing for his wedding early next year.
According to a police report, at about 4.30 am, a white Lexus driven by Ramai was proceeding east along the Churchill Roosevelt Highway when he lost control of the car near Valpark Plaza. Police said the car flipped several times then crashed into a TSTT cabinet. Ramai and Phillip succumbed to their injuries at the Mt Hope hospital.
Ramai’s sister, Linda Ramai-Doodnath, yesterday described him as a sports fanatic and an ardent Warriors fan.
“Last year he had to quit volleyball because of a serious knee injury. He played competitive All Fours and cricket and also had a passion for football and the Soca Warriors. We were tiling the house in preparation for his wedding next year.”
Ramai-Doodnath, a senior accounts clerk, said her surviving brother Russell and Phillip were good friends and Ramai was invited to join them for the football lime at the stadium on Wednesday.
“He took Russell and three UWI friends and after the match, I heard they went to the nightclub to celebrate. He was on his way to drop them off at UWI when the accident happened,” she said, adding that their father Tarran died five years ago. Their mother Liloutee was too distraught to speak yesterday.
At Siparia, one of Phillip’s relatives told Newsday the family was trying to come to terms with his death. Cpl Salandy of the St Joseph Police Station is investigating.
