'Big Break' winner dies in car crash

[Mosiah]

Sad, sad news. She came to Jamaica to become the reggae sing-jay she always wanted to be.

'Big Break' winner dies in car crash


Natasha Scrul - File

Danish singer Natasha Scrul, last year's winner of the Red Stripe 'Big Break' Competition, died yesterday morning in a motor vehicle accident on the Hellshire main road, St. Catherine.
Reports from the Constabulary Communications Network, are that at about 5:45 a.m., Scrul was a passenger in a [COLOR=blue! important][COLOR=blue! important]Toyota [COLOR=blue! important]Corolla[/COLOR][/COLOR][/COLOR] motor car heading towards the Hellshire beach.
The driver reportedly lost control of the vehicle near Fort Street and crashed into a utility pole. The police were alerted and arrived on the scene to find an extensively damaged vehicle. Checks made with the Spanish Town Hospital revealed that three injured persons had been taken there for treatment.
Scrul, 32, originally from Denmark but living in Mona Heights, Kingston 6, succumbed to her injuries. The other passengers, both men, have been admitted in serious condition. While the identity of one is still unknown, the other is Samuel Foster, 21, a fashion designer from Red Hills, St. Andrew.
The Portmore Traffic Department is investigating. Scrul won the talent contest last June and earned a performance on Red Stripe Reggae Sumfest 2006. She also earned a music video and a professional photo shoot, among other prizes.

[Hortical]

"The driver reportedly lost control of the vehicle near Fort Street and crashed into a utility pole."

Obviously we don't know how driver managed to hit a fix object, and whether he was impaired or not. But excessing speeding and driving under the influence of alcohol has taken many lives in Jamaica.

[Mosiah]

You're right.

Too many times "drivers lose control" of their motor vehicles. If many of these accidents are properly investigated we would find that alcohol and/or speeding are factors. But when we state "lost control" sounds like he might have hit a skid or the rack and pinion came loose. Crap! It's usually preventable! No Lazie or Maudib, I don't have proof.

[Muadib]

You're right.

Too many times "drivers lose control" of their motor vehicles. If many of these accidents are properly investigated we would find that alcohol and/or speeding are factors. But when we state "lost control" sounds like he might have hit a skid or the rack and pinion came loose. Crap! It's usually preventable! No Lazie or Maudib, I don't have proof.

Ah wheh di.... ?!

[Exile]

Cliche journalism...Jamaica full of them. "According to the police"...is another favourite or "died on arrival at the hospital"....

[Mosiah]

Danish-born reggae siren killed in car crash
Roland Henry
Tuesday, June 26, 2007

Natasja at the Red Stripe Big Break finals last year.
Thrity-two-year-old Danish-born reggae singer Natasja Scrul was killed and two others injured in a car accident along the Hellshire main road, St Catherine early Sunday morning.
The singer and friends, the Observer understands, left Saturday night's Portmore Awards where Natasja had performed.
Reports from the Constabulary Communication Network (CCN) are that at about 5:45 am, a Toyota Corolla motor car, registered 6627 EM, was travelling along the Hellshire main road towards the beach. It is said that the driver lost control of the vehicle and crashed into a utility pole. The injured three were rushed to the Spanish Town Hospital where the singer was pronounced dead.
"Last year she won the Red Stripe, Irie FM Big Break contest, said the late singer's manager Stephen Greg, "she's a regular here and she loves Jamaica". He told the Observer that Natasja was scheduled to fly back to Denmark on Friday and was only visiting to put some finishing touches on her album.
"She was doing some work on her album with Sly and Robbie, Arif Cooper and she had done collaborations with Ninja Man, Lady G, among others," Greg shared.
Her friend 'Lady G' is deeply saddened, admitting that she could not fathom her death after seeing her mere minutes before the accident.
"Everytime it come 'cross me mind, but me jus' cyaan believe seh Natasja gone," the female performer shared. 'Lady G' noted that she had called up Natasja during a group performance with Macka Diamond and Queen Paula at "Nuffy's show".
At the same time, the veteran act said that she is trying to be optimistic about her friend's passing.
"Me jus' a look pon it from a positive angle...at least me did get fe spend the last couple hours wid har."
Irie FM marketing director Brian Schimdt expressed similar sentiments, adding that the news put a "damper on everybody [at Irie FM]". He noted that because of the association with last year's competition, he came to know the late singer as, "bubbly and engaging". He added that the singer had recently stopped by the radio station to drop off new music and have everyone know what new projects she was working on.
"She was in the prime of her career," Greg said, adding that the driver of the vehicle had fled the scene but turned himself in yesterday morning.
"The police are doing investigations as to what state he was in when the accident happened, right after the accident he was missing and I think that ought to be questioned," Greg said.