By: Antonio Dey | HGP Nightly News |
A tragic incident in Trinidad and Tobago has left a community in mourning after an eight-year-old boy was crushed to death when a runaway truck slammed into his family’s home.
The child, identified as Gideon Smart, was killed on Monday afternoon after an open-tray truck loaded with concrete blocks and construction materials veered off Savannah Road in Aruka and crashed into the residence. The incident occurred around 3:00 p.m., prompting nearby residents to rush outside after hearing a loud impact.
Homeowner Martin Gardner said he and neighbours initially believed the crash involved a road accident, but moments later heard faint cries coming from beneath the wreckage. Smart, Gardner’s stepson, had been trapped under the debris and sustained severe head injuries.
Despite desperate attempts by family members to assist, the boy reportedly struggled to breathe for several minutes before succumbing to his injuries. A relative estimated that Smart survived for less than five minutes after the impact.
At the time of the incident, Smart was reportedly seated on an exercise bike inside the house, with his back to the road. His mother, identified as Haley, was overcome with grief when emergency responders arrived and later retreated inside the home as crews worked to remove the child’s body.
Smart’s stepfather, Albert Gardner, recalled that just moments before the tragedy, Smart and his older brother had gone outside to help him unload his car.
In Jamaica, a 41-year-old security guard has been charged following the seizure of a firearm during a police operation in St. Andrew.
The accused, Kevin Smith of Sea View Gardens, was charged with possession of a prohibited weapon, unauthorized possession of ammunition, and unauthorized use of blue lights. Police said Smith was intercepted on December 26 while driving a red Kia Seltos SUV fitted with flashing blue lights in the Zeti Gardens area.
Upon stopping the vehicle, officers reportedly noticed suspicious bulges at Smith’s waist. A search allegedly uncovered a Taurus G2C pistol with a magazine containing four rounds, along with a Glock magazine holding a single .40-calibre cartridge.
Meanwhile, in international developments, China conducted its most extensive military drills to date around Taiwan on Tuesday, firing rockets into waters north and south of the island and showcasing new amphibious assault vessels.
The exercises, which lasted approximately 10 hours, were conducted by China’s Eastern Theatre Command and included live-fire drills simulating a potential blockade of the democratically governed island. Beijing also dismissed the likelihood of U.S. or allied intervention in the event of a future move to assert control over Taiwan.
The drills have heightened tensions in the region, drawing concern from international observers amid ongoing geopolitical uncertainty in the Asia-Pacific.
