Damien Taylor, a law student completing his certificate at the Hugh Wooding Law School and a flute player with popular Ruk-A-Tuk Inc band, died on the spot yesterday after a three-vehicle smash-up on the ABC Highway.
His death prompted the police to ask road users to be careful as the festive Old Year’s Night activities near and the New Year approaches.
Taylor, 35, of No.34 Durants, Christ Church, died after a collision involving his motorcycle, another motorcycle ridden by 36-year-old David Haynes, of West Terrace, St James, and a van driven by 35-year-old Stirling Workman, of Oxnards, St James, around 4:05 p.m. between the Norman Niles and Clyde Walcott Roundabouts.
Police public relations officer Acting Inspector Roland Cobbler said preliminary investigations revealed that Taylor and Haynes were riding along the Barrow section of the highway when their motorcycles became involved in a collision with the van, causing them both to lose control. Taylor struck the jersey bars and died while Haynes complained of discomfort about the body and sought private medical attention.
While on the scene, Cobbler encouraged Barbadians attending Old Year’s Night celebrations to do so with caution.
“Taking into consideration this unfortunate road accident and the shooting death earlier this week, I want to urge party-goers and persons who intend to celebrate the ending of another year to use a little more caution as they participate in any activities,” said Cobbler.
Taylor, who represented Barbados in the World Taekwondo Championships in South Korea in 2017, earned an LL.B in law from the University of the West Indies Cave Hill Campus and was pursing a law certificate at the Hugh Wooding Law School in Trinidad and Tobago. He also was a flute player in the Ruk-A-Tuk Inc band and a disc jockey who went by the name Dappa.
Yesterday’s crash is the 25th fatal accident of the year with 28 people dying so far for the year. (SB)
