- NEWSDAY.CO.TT - A la Une - 25/Jun 04:09

Family grieving death of plumber days after crash involving minister

DANIELLA Cordner, the common-law wife of Stephen Primus, says she is still struggling to accept his death days after the accident which claimed his life. The accident was the result of collisions between multiple vehicles one of which was driven by Minister in the Ministry of Housing Anil Roberts. She spoke on June 24 at the family home on Pompey Street, El Socorro. Cordner said the three children she had with Primus were devastated by his death. “Our children aren’t doing well. He has a son in his 20s, he has a 12-year-old daughter who is graduating from primary school this Friday coming and his youngest son is just three,” she said. Primus, 43, the father of five and a plumber with the San Juan/Laventille Regional Corporation, died following a multi-vehicle collision along the Beetham Highway on June 21. In a Facebook video posted hours after the incident, Roberts who is also a government senator, said the crash occurred at around 5.23 am. He said he was driving east along the highway at the time. Roberts said he was driving on the right lane when a white BMW, attempting to overtake a grey stationwagon, from the middle lane, cut into the left lane. The BMW encountered another vehicle which was proceeding slowly in the left lane and swerved back to the middle lane to pass it, Roberts said in the post. The grey wagon, in turn, swerved away from the BMW and collided with Roberts' SUV. Roberts said the impact caused his vehicle to strike the median and come to a stop in the right lane. After his SUV came to a stop, Roberts said he looked in his rear-view mirror and saw another car speeding toward him. Moments later, a crash took place. Primus succumbed to his injuries early on the morning of June 22. Apart from working in the regional corporation, Primus was also the owner of a tea business, Gas Breakers, which he operated for the past three years. Cordner noted the outpouring of support from co-workers, friends and members of the community. “People have shown up and tried to support us in different ways,” she said adding she was forever grateful for this support. However, she admitted, “I’m still in a daze...not really sure what’s going on.” [caption id="attachment_1162718" align="alignnone" width="1024"] GRIEVING: Daniella Cordner, common-law wife of Stephen Primus, who was killed in an accident on the weekend, sits on a chair outside the family's El Socorro home on Tuesday. Cordner's sister Moniquette Thomson stands next to her. - Photo by Ayanna Kinsale[/caption] She described Primus as a hard-working and passionate entrepreneur, saying that days before the fatal crash, he received product approval for his teas from the Caribbean Industrial Research Institute (Cariri), as part of efforts to take his business to newer heights. She said he was looking forward to pitching his tea products to supermarkets and groceries after the Cariri certifications. Cordner said she will remember Primus as someone who was well-loved in the community, always willing to help others and was never afraid of hard work. In addition to plumbing and his tea business, he also drove PH (private hire) to support his family. “He was a good man,” she said. “You spend so much in life. You work towards building a future together…and then in one moment, it’s just gone,” she cried. Cordner was hesitant to speculate about the accident. “I don’t know exactly how it happened and I don’t want to say anything because I was not there.” She said it was her sister who first received the call that Primus had been involved in an accident. The next day, while Cordner was at home, gathering items to take to the hospital, a second call came with the news that Primus had died. “I was sorting some clothes to carry for him. My sister called a friend to take me to the hospital. I was still doing laundry when the next call came." She said the family has not received any formal communication from the corporation but is grateful for the outpouring of support his co-workers had given to the family. In a Facebook post, the corporation said it was mourning the passing of Primus, describing him as a dedicated employee with the Works Department since December 23, 2003. Corporation chairman Anthony Roberts said in a brief social media post, “Life lost...painful...dashcam deficit.”   The post Family grieving death of plumber days after crash involving minister appeared first on Trinidad and Tobago Newsday.