YOUNG BOXER KILLED TRIBUTES PAID TO 23-YEAR-OLD FATHER AFTER FATAL CRASH
A 23-YEAR-OLD west Belfast father has died after his car collided with a lorry in Crumlin yesterday morning.
Manuel Caddell was killed when the Audi he had been driving at around 10.50am collided with the back of a lorry at the junction of Nutts Corner Road and Manse Road.
The lorry driver was not injured and the road remained closed off until around 8pm last night.
Mr Caddell, a keen boxer and a former pupil of De La Salle College, died at the scene.
He is survived by his fiancee Roisin Farrelly and baby daughter Mia.
Crumlin councillor Thomas Burns extended his sympathies to both men and said it was a tragic day for Mr Caddell’s family.
“I feel very sorry for this young man and his family — it is a tragic, tragic, accident and my thoughts and prayers are with his family,” he said
“Both vehicles were going in the same direction and approaching the junction when it has happened. I don’t think the young man knew this road very well and he drove into the back of the lorry, we do not know the full details at this stage.
“It is a terrible, terrible day. Little did those two poor men know that when they have set off on their journeys that they would be involved in such an incident and they are in my thoughts and prayers.”
Online tributes have flooded in with many of Mr Caddell’s friends describing him as a “gentleman”. Friend James Tennyson commented: “Shocked and devastated at news of a good friend Manuel Caddell passing away, met this guy through boxing at a young age and also helped me with sparring at the early stages of my pro career,” he said.
“He was an absolute gentleman. Another life taken far too soon. Prayers and thoughts are with his family, fiancee and his wee daughter.”
An appeal has been launched to trace witnesses to the collision.
A PSNI spokesperson said: “Police can confirm that a man, aged in his twenties, has died following a two vehicle road traffic collision in Crumlin this morning, Monday, April 10.
“Inspector Charlie Wright is appealing for anyone who was travelling on the Nutts Corner Road or Manse Road this morning and who witnessed the collision to contact local officers in Antrim or the Collision Investigation Unit on 101 quoting reference number 352 of April 10, 2017.”
Meanwhile, police in Enniskillen issued an appeal yesterday after a car overturned in a crash that left a man seriously injured.
At around 8.30pm last Tuesday, a green Volkswagen collided with a hedge on the Dernawilt Road near Rosslea, seriously injuring the male driver.
Witnesses have been urged to contact Lisnaskea police station on 101, quoting reference 155 of the March 28, 2017.