Patricia De Abreu, 35, and her son Isaiah De Abreu left their 8 Owen Street, Kitty home to go to the Stabroek Market and after waiting for a while for transportation, took a minibus named ‘Specialist’, she told Stabroek News from her hospital bed yesterday.
De Abreu is a now a patient of the Female Surgical Ward of the Georgetown Public Hospital while her son is a patient of the Paediatric Ward.
De Abreu and her son sustained severe lacerations to the left side of their faces. She also sustained a broken right wrist while her son sustained lacerations to the tendons of both hands.
Recalling what she remembered before the accident, De Abreu said she and her son were seated behind the conductor in the folding seat. The next thing she remembered was the driver, who was speeding, swerving to avoid hitting another vehicle. The minibus then fell on its side and skidded some distance.
De Abreu said that the accident occurred between 8.30-9 in the morning at Regent and Oronoque streets. She then added that the driver was not speeding initially but he “pull off” fast when the bus was in the vicinity of the Ministry of Agriculture building.
Meanwhile, the driver of the bus, Tavis Roberts, says that he was only doing 55 mph when a white Morris Oxford car which was on the inside lane in front of him made a sudden right turn without giving any indication.
Roberts, who was at the time visiting De Abreu to check on her, told this paper that the driver of the car was an old man who was on the inside turning lane. He added further that after the man made the turn without indication, he fought to control the bus three times but lost full control on the third attempt.
It was during his fight for control of the bus that it turned on its side, Roberts said. He pointed out that after the bus flipped, the driver of the car did not stop to render any assistance. It just went along its way, Roberts said.
The bus had fallen on its door and persons had to exit from the rear of the bus. Several persons besides De Abreu and her son sustained injuries in the accident but they were treated and sent home. The driver also sustained injuries to his hand.
Meanwhile, Roberts was held by the police after the accident and was later released on $20,000 station bail after the required 72-hour custody period elapsed.
