TAMPA, FL : Reggae legend dies in a crash on April, Friday 14th 2017
Oswald Caines, a reggae music legend well-known in Sarasota, died Friday morning in a multi-vehicle crash that shut down the William Howard Frankland Bridge connecting St. Petersburg to Tampa. The accident froze early-morning rush-hour traffic in the central Bay area for hours.
The 61-year-old Caines, affectionately known by his friends as “Ham,” was scheduled to play a show with his band, the Democracy Reggae Band, at the Five O’clock Club in Sarasota on Thursday night.
The crash happened at around 4:40 a.m. Friday.
“As most of you already know, the unbelievably sad news that my rock and partner in marriage through thick and thin, better or worse, till death do us part for 28 years has left us in body,” Caine’s wife, Roberta-Lynn, said in a post on Democracy’s Facebook page. “But, through the wonderful gift he was given by GOD, he has left everyone around the world with many good memories of his songs, his beautiful smile, his words of comfort. And, who has not had one of his famous hugs?? Always willing to help you when you called on the phone no matter what time to work on chords on a song. ... He loved his Music, his Mom, who he talked to all the time in England.”
The Florida Highway Patrol said the crash occurred in the northbound lanes of Interstate 275 near the Fourth Street North on-ramp.
Linday Larsh, 31, of Spring Hill was in the outside lane of I-275 going northbound when she swerved to avoid a hand truck used for moving furniture, which was lying on the road. She veered into the middle lane and hit a recreation vehicle.
Pierre Clement, 64, of Canada and two passengers were in the RV, which was knocked into Caines’ 2000 Ford F-150. The truck rolled over into the path of a 2014 Maserati that was trying to avoid Larsh and Clement’s vehicles.
Oscar Arturo Chavira, 44, of Tampa, was driving the Maserati, which hit Caines’ truck and sent it into a concrete barrier. Chavira left the scene of the crash without making contact with the police, FHP said. He was later located uninjured, and identified.
Larsh was taken to Tampa General Hospital with serious injuries, and Clement, the RV driver, and his passengers, were uninjured.
Friends and family, shocked by the fatherly musican’s sudden death, took to social media to offer their condolences. Roberta-Lynn, Caine’s wife, said in her statement that Caine’s fans brought him joy.
He loved his family, but most of all “he loved all the people that came to hear him play. You were his drive and inspiration.”
A “Celebration of Life” memorial service is being planned, she said, asking in her message, signed “ONE LOVE,” for prayers for his family and friends.
Shantel Norman, a North Carolina singer with strong southern accent, said Caines introduced her to reggae and taught her to understand the words. She performs with her fiancee, Damie Caines, the son of Oswald Caines, in the reggae band “Jah Movement.” The band played Sunday night less than 24 hours after Ham’s death in tribute to the father, friend, and musician.
“It seems like we are going to wake up and everything is fine,” Norman said, “We’re lost. We’re just going to miss him. The amount of people he attracts and that love him so much, the response: everyone has been calling us and texting us all throughout the night. We are just heartbroken.”
Norman said Caines and “Democracy” have been performing every Thursday night at the Five O’Clock Club on Hillview Street for months. Fans of Caines came to “Jah Movements” show Sunday night in support of his son, Damie.
“We were all in tears; the crowd was all into tears,” Norman said. “The amount of people showed up in support, to support Damie, we hardly could perform.”
Caines had left the Five O’clock Club after his performance Thursday and was 10 minutes from home when the crash occurred.
Source :
Reggae legend dies in crash after leaving Sarasota show