Police officers view the car in which Jason Collymore (inset) was killed by bandits while plying his car in Princes Town on Tuesday night. -Photo: DAVE PERSAD

Jason Collymore
November 20, 2007
Corinth Village, Ste Madeleine, Trinidad and Tobago

Trinidad and Tobago Express

Taxi-driver shot dead during hold-up
Killers leave empty-handed, take another taxi after crash

Richard Charan South Bureau
Thursday, November 22nd 2007

Taxi-driver Jason Collymore tried to save himself when his passengers turned hold-up men during a trip, but he paid with his life-a bullet to the head.

His car crashed into a wall after he was shot, investigators believe. His killers are said to have then walked away, into another taxi and left.

Collymore, 29, died behind the steering wheel, his head in the car's inflated air-bag.

The killers left with nothing.

Collymore's gold chain and money were left behind.

He was the country's 328th murder victim for the year and his killing has come during a surge in crimes across South and Central Trinidad, involving criminals posing as "PH" drivers (driving private cars for hire) and passengers.

Collymore was killed on Tuesday night, hours after National Security Minister Martin Joseph and Acting Commissioner of Police Glen Roach held a news conference at which they asked the nation not to lose hope in them.

But at Collymore's home on ironically-named Hope Road, Princes Town, yesterday, there was anger over the impotence of the police and politicians when it comes to dealing with crime.

"Tell them it is hopeless, it has reached a ridiculous stage. Princes Town was once a safe place. We going to reach 400 murders this year," said family member Rita Lalla.

Collymore was engaged to be married. The date was not yet named.

He worked as a driver with an oil company at Pt Galeota, and part-time as a taxi-driver on the San Fernando-Princes Town route.

He never worked late, relatives said, because he knew of the danger.

Police were told that a couple and two men entered Collymore's car in San Fernando. The couple asked to be dropped off near a guest house at Corinth Village, Ste Madeleine.

It was after they got out, police believe, the other two "passengers" pulled guns.

It is believed that Collymore was shot because he refused to drive in a direction that would take him to a cane-field. Police were told he accelerated in the direction of the Naparima/Mayaro Road, and two shots were fired.

When the car crashed into the wall, witnesses thought it was an accident, until the two "passengers" walked away.

Collymore's body remained in the car for five hours, while police sought a District Medical Officer to examine it. His parents, Marian and Kenrick Collymore, only learned of the death after midnight yesterday.

Neither could speak with the media.

The Southern Division Homicide is investigating.

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