Linden hospital worker, teen killed in ambulance smashup

Oct 27, 2019 News

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Two Linden families have been plunged into mourning, with the deaths of two young men whose lives were snuffed out, in an early morning accident on Saturday.

Dead is 37-year-old Eon Reddock, of South Amelia’s Ward and 18-year-old Tristan Clarke, of New Scheme, Amelia’s Ward and One Mile, Wismar.
‘Tragic’ is how former Regional Chairman and Chairman of the Linden Hospital Complex Board, Mortimer Mingo, described the horrific accident between an ambulance and car that occurred on the Amelia’s Ward Public Road, in the vicinity of Obama Drive, killing Reddock and Clarke.
Reddock was returning to Linden in the ambulance, after transporting a patient to the Georgetown Public Hospital.
Clarke was reportedly on his way home, after attending a Pageant at the New Silver City Secondary School at Wismar.

It was the second accident this year, involving a nurse from the Linden Hospital, to occur in the Amelia’s Ward area.
On April 7, Reddock’s cousin, Shashyka Etienne, a registered nurse, perished less than a mile away, in the vicinity of the Amelia’s Ward bus shed.
Etienne was a pillion Rider on her fiancé’s motorcycle. Both died following the accident.
Yesterday’s incident also resulted in injuries to ambulance attendant, 25-year-old Shoma Douglas of Wismar (Buck) Hill, Linden and 39-year-old Rametse Paul of 1045 Phase 1B Wisroc, Wismar, Linden.
The two were taken to the Linden Hospital Complex, then later yesterday, transferred to the GPHC.
Police reports indicate that the incident took place at approximately 3:40 hrs Saturday at Obama Drive, Amelia’s Ward.
The ambulance bearing registration number PXX 4739, which was being driven by Rametse Paul, collided head on with the motorcar PRR 781 driven by Tristan Clarke.
Regional Commander, Superintendent H. Winter, disclosed in a statement, that based on the accident scene, it appeared as though the car went into the path of the ambulance, resulting in a head on collision.

When this newspaper visited the home of Reddock, friends and relatives had gathered in front of the yard, sharing condolences and lending emotional support to the family.
Inside the house, a small group of women was observed praying and crying quietly.
His mother, Merlene Niles, appeared stoic, as she quietly reflected on her son’s life.
“He was a good boy…hardworking, and loving.”
His sister, Fiegel Sparman, said that her brother was always busy doing something.
“He was a nurse at the hospital for about ten years, but before that, he used to work in the maintenance section of the hospital.”
According to Sparman, her brother also built concrete blocks as a side business. He was also an avid cricketer, and well loved and respected in the community.
“You see those people out there? They are his friends that he used to play cricket with. They camp out there since this morning, and they ain’t about to move anytime soon!”
Reddock’s cousin, Deionzra Etienne, and sister of Sheshyka Etienne, said that the accident has opened up all the wounds of losing her sister, bringing back all the memories and pain afresh.
Another relative, Bernadette, had earlier, quipped, “Right now, Eon and Shashyka meeting up in heaven! They greeting each other!”
At Clarke’s home, the atmosphere was somber with friends and relatives dropping by to offer condolences.
His father, Travis Clarke, stood quietly speaking with friends. In an exclusive interview with this newspaper, he related sadly, “This is a terrible experience for me. It will teach me that when I don’t want to do something, I must say no, and mean it. I didn’t want to give him the car, but he begged me for more than an hour to borrow it, and I eventually gave him. I’m sorry I did!”
Clarke said that his son wanted to use the car to go to the pageant across the river (Wismar).
He said that he got the message about the accident, shortly after three yesterday morning.
“I immediately went to the scene, but by then they had already taken him to the hospital.”
He said that Tristan was his only son, and the eldest of his five children. He was also the only son for his mother, and was also her eldest.
Clarke described his son as a very obedient child who never got into trouble.
“He didn’t drink or smoke. I never had any complaints about him”.
The grieving man said that Tristan had only last September, enrolled at the Linden Technical Institute.
He was a former student of the Wismar Christianburg Secondary School.
Regional Chairman, Rennis Morian, has expressed condolences to both families, and is urging motorists to take more care on the roadways.
Staff of the Linden Hospital Complex, are contemplating strike action, to protest conditions of work, and lack of proper coverage, in cases of accidents on the job.
GPSU Region Ten Representative, Maurice Butters, is lamenting these and other issues at the hospital.
“A lot of things around this hospital, need changing. For one thing, these vehicles are not properly insured, so in cases of accidents, workers suffer and have little or nothing to get. These things have to be looked into”, Butters emphasised.

 

 

 

 

 

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