A Jehovah Witness couple returning home from bible study yesterday died hours apart, after their motor cycle was hit by a taxi on the Friendship, East Bank Demerara Public Road.
Khairool D’Oliveira called Lynette, 63, whose leg was almost severed and suffered a gaping wound to her skull died on the spot. Her husband, 70-year-old Noland D’Oliveira succumbed to internal and head injuries at the Georgetown Hospital some time after 9 pm. The D’Oliveiras lived at Lot 6 Public Road Grove, EBD.
‘Brother D’Oliveira’ as he was called, had minutes earlier returned to the health institution after having a CAT scan to ascertain the extent of his head injuries.
The couple who had been practising their faith for about five decades were returning home just after 5 pm after studying the Bible with others at the Friendship Kingdom Hall, when tragedy struck.
Their motor cycle and the car which hit them were travelling in opposite directions.
Seconds before the impact, this newspaper was informed that the car which is attached to a taxi service in Grove was seen swerving along the road. The driver was up to last evening in police custody assisting with investigations.
A resident recalled that he was in the upper flat of his home when he heard a noise similar to that of a tyre blow-out. He said that he looked out and saw “this lady and this man just pitch in front of me and he been crouch up.”
So hard was the impact that the motor cycle ended up on the opposite side of the road.
The resident said that initially he thought that the couple had slammed into a truck that was in front of them, but when he looked up the road he saw a white car, which he later learnt was involved in the collision.
The man said that the incident left him so traumatized that he did not even venture near to look at the two bodies lying next to each other. However he recalled that from his vantage point he could see that the man was wearing a helmet and the woman’s foot was badly injured. He could not see her head.
According to him, there was no blood on Noland’s body and this newspaper later learnt from hospital sources, that he sustained a broken leg, several cuts and internal injuries.
The resident told Stabroek News that both persons were lying still so it was hard to tell if they were dead. Eventually a sheet was thrown over the woman’s body and at this point he knew that she had died.
While indicating that the police arrived quickly on the scene the resident went on to say that the dead body lay on the roadway for about an hour before it was removed. The man, he added, was removed about 20 minutes after the accident since it was difficult to locate a vehicle to transport him to the hospital.
Asked why residents did not arrange for transportation to take the couple to the nearby Diamond Diagnostic Centre, the man replied, “People din sayin don’t trouble the bodies.”
The man said that before yesterday there hadn’t been any major accident in that area in recent years.
Meanwhile, another resident recalled hearing the impact and thought that a dog had been struck. She later learnt that it was a vehicular accident and on investigating immediately recognized the female victim – Khairool. She explained that the woman would visit the area to preach about her faith and share out books.
At the scene, a huge blood spot identified where Khairool took her last breath. Broken glass and other items littered the roadway.
Well known
The couple were well known for the work they did over the years and many flocked to their home and the hospital as word of the accident spread.
When this newspaper visited the home around 7.30 pm many persons were there, and there were enquiries about Noland’s condition.
The elderly man was taken to the Diamond Diagnostic Centre before being transferred to the city institution. At that time, the word was that he was slipping in an out of conscious and that he had sustained a broken leg. From reports, he had no obvious serious injury and was expected to survive.
Later when this newspaper turned up at the Georgetown Hospital, dozens of members of the congregation, young and old had gathered to await word on Noland’s condition. He had just been taken to have a CAT scan done. A little over 30 minutes later, those gathered got the news that he too had died.
Vanita Chattersingh said that she married into the faith about 13 years ago and the couple were always full of zest, kind and friendly to her. She noted that she would always remember them for their exemplariness. She added that they were members of the Grove Congregation.
They leave to mourn two children.
