An out-of-control car yesterday slammed into a group of children along the Ruimzigt Public Road, at West Coast Demerara, killing an eight-year-old boy on the spot while leaving his companions traumatised.
The driver, who fled the scene after the accident, later returned and is now in police custody.
The dead boy, Joshua Daniels, and his family came from Mabura to attend a church convention.
They were spending time with relatives who live at Lot 29 Ruimzigt Gardens, where the accident occurred.
The accident occurred at around 4pm, when the driver of the car PJJ 1837, which was speeding west along the Ruimzigt Public Road, lost control of his vehicle and slammed into Daniels.
Police said the driver allegedly swerved to avoid another vehicle that was in his driving lane, causing him to lose control of the vehicle, which toppled and struck down Daniels.
The boy was taken to the West Demerara Regional Hospital where he was pronounced dead on arrival.
The driver of the vehicle was identified only as “Assif” and was said to be the owner of a restaurant at La Jalousie, on the West Coast of Demerara
According to reports, the dead child and his other siblings, Marcelo Mendonca, 13, Marlon Daniels, 10, Paul Khan, 7, and Stephanie Daniels, 10, were standing in front of the walkway when the accident occurred. The others managed to escape the fatal accident by running into the yard.
“I just see something coming tumbling down and we run in we yard but when I look back Joshua was not there,” said a shaken Mendonca.
According to an eyewitness, the boy was standing at the door of a car in front of the residence with his siblings nearby. The car, which came from the east, “lash out two bridge and slammed into de lil guy,” he said.
“I rush out me yard and scramble onto de boy but he de already dead… I halla fuh help but the driver jumped out of the driver seat of his vehicle and grabbed a box and fled the scene with a car that stopped for him,” he added.
“I halla fuh help but the driver hurry off while de other driver telling he “Hurry, don’t wait to give no statement until you get your lawyer.
Let we go. Don’t wait on no police until you get your lawyer.’”
They then drove away with one speed, the witness added.
He further said, “The position that the poor boy was in, it looked as though when the car plunged into de trench he tried to run but it was too late.”
The boy’s mother, Margaret Moses, wept uncontrollably. “I came from Mabura to go to a church convention and now my son is dead. My daughter told me mummy don’t go….if I had only known,” she said. (Roxanne Clarke)
