A New Grant mother of four was killed when she hit by a drunk driver as she was about to watch Independence Day fireworks with her family on Saturday night. Denyse Seepersad-Joseph, 39, had just parked her vehicle along Tarodale Road at 7.30 pm on Saturday, but while taking her four-year-old daughter Abigail out the car, a yellow Nissan laurel sped by and hit Seepersad-Joseph, killing her on the spot. According to witnesses, the car was “swerving left and right” as it sped down the street and then hit the mother while she was holding Abigail.
Abigail was thrown from her mother’s arms and landed in some nearby bushes about 20 feet away. She was later taken to the San Fernando General Hospital, where she remained warded in stable condition up to last evening without any signs of serious injury. The driver of the car reportedly slowed down momentarily, but then sped off again. Relatives yesterday told the T&T Guardian that Seepersad-Joseph had visited an aunt’s home along with several other relatives for an Independence Day dinner, followed by a viewing of the fireworks. A family member, who did not want to be identified, said it was a regular get-together whenever the holiday fell on a weekend. She said when Seepersad-Joseph was hit, her brother followed the car and got the licence plate number and provided it to the police.
Seepersad-Joseph’s sister-in-law, Shivani, who was at the hospital with Abigail yesterday, said she could not talk about what happened, as Abigail did not know as yet that her mother had died. She commented on the safety of the road where the accident happened, however, saying the community had been advocating for speed bumps for some time. Abigail’s father, Richard Joseph, was also at the hospital last evening, but said he could not talk to reporters.“I can’t speak right now,” he said via telephone. When asked how his other children were coping with the sudden loss of their mother, he said they were “doing well.” According to police reports, the 44-year-old driver of the car subsequently went to the San Fernando Police Station to report that he had “knocked down something on the road.” Officers said he appeared to be drunk and so a breathalyser test was administered. Results indicated he was over the alcohol limit and he was arrested. The driver remained in custody yesterday evening. A post-mortem on Seepersad-Joseph is expected to be carried out today.