An alleged ‘joyride’ turned into a tragedy last night,
Friday, May 28, when a car plunged into the North End Lake and the driver drowned.
Last night at approximately 22:30, police attended to a
complaint of a vehicle that plunged into the lake in Milner Avenue, Sydenham.
The 26-year-old driver was trapped in the vehicle and drowned. According to police
spokesperson, Col. Priscilla Naidu, there were two other occupants in the car,
both 23 years old. “The two passengers survived and were taken to hospital for further
treatment,” Naidu said. “The name of the deceased cannot be released as the next-of-kin
still needs to be notified.”
Naidu added that the make and model of the car has not yet
been established. “It is still in the lake. They will try and take it out today,”
she explained.
According to spokesperson for Gardmed Ambulance Services,
Elton Smith, it was conveyed to him at the scene by the two survivors that they
work at a local car wash and that the owner of the car had left the vehicle at
the car wash.
“The police wanted to arrest them, but they said that there’s
a clause in their contract with the client at the car wash that they may take the
car for a ride,” Smith said. “Apparently the owner of the vehicle is a mechanic,”
he added.
When asked whether or not the survivors were under the
influence of alcohol, Smith answered: “I have no evidence that they were
intoxicated.”
Smith said that the driver had allegedly lost control around a bend and ended up in the lake.
An inquest docket has been opened for investigation.
