MANDEVILLE, Manchester – A mother and her two year-old daughter were among four people killed when a taxi collided with an International truck on the Winston Jones Highway in Manchester yesterday afternoon.

The dead were identified as Neville Simms, a 51 year-old taxi operator of Porus, Manchester, and three of his passengers, 20 year-old Ricardo Wallace, a student of Harmoni District in Porus, 28 year-old Tashauna Johnson and her two year-old daughter of Broad Leaf District in Porus.

The sole surviving passenger from the taxi is 27 year-old Marsha McLaren of Kendal, Manchester.

McLaren and the truck driver, 59 year-old Albert Brooks of Palmers Cross in Clarendon, were both admitted to hospital in critical condition. Brooks was travelling with a passenger who was treated and released yesterday.

According to reports from the Constabulary Communication Network (CCN) liaison officer for Manchester, at approximately 2:40 pm a Toyota Corolla motor car was travelling from Porus to Mandeville when it collided with the truck on the Winston Jones Highway.

The front wheel and bumper of the truck were damaged, but the taxi sustained the brunt of the impact. The left side of the Corolla was completely crushed and the car’s engine, windshield and front ceiling were torn apart.

The interior of the taxi was a mess of broken glass, car implements, blood and a woman’s shoe, possibly from one of the victims.

Some eyewitnesses state that Simms was overtaking when the crash occurred, but this was not confirmed by the police.