Story and photo by Marcelle Thomas
A horrific smash-up yesterday afternoon involving two Route 42 minibuses, at Coverden, East Bank Demerara (EBD) has left three residents of Kuru-Kururu in critical condition, while several others sustained minor injuries.
Eyewitness, some of whom were also passengers of one of the buses, told Stabroek News that at shortly after 4 pm yesterday, BLL 9312, was travelling along the EBD on its way to Kuru-Kururu. They recounted that it was travelling at a “fast, yet safe rate”. Another bus, BNN 4262, with only the driver as the occupant, and also travelling very fast, they said, attempted to overtake BLL 9312. Instead, that bus slammed into the rear of BLL 9312 causing the driver to lose control. Both buses then plummeted head on into a muddy ditch nearby.
“Ryan [the driver of BLL 9312] was driving good all the time and we could hear this bus coming speeding behind and he try to overtake we. But like he ain’t average good or something cause next thing was SLAM!! Into we back and we start fuh spin and flip over and everybody hollering and screaming and next thing is we end up in de trench,” said Donna Barker, a passenger of the bus. She explained that the impact was so severe that from where she was seated next to the conductor she was pitched to the rear of the bus and landed on another passenger.
Passersby, villagers and employees of the nearby Guyana Color Crete Manufacturing Inc, rushed to assist the occupants of both buses.
Hospitalized at the Georgetown Public Hospital are Royston Jocintho, 35, and Manifred Parks, 77, both of Kuru-Kururu. Jocintho complained of pains to his ribs and back. Parks, who was seated in the rear of the bus and received a direct hit, told this newspaper as he was being taken for treatment that his head caused him excruciating pains and that his body was numb. He however asked that contact be made with his only daughter in Guyana, Cheryl Parks.
Meanwhile, three passengers were taken to the Davis Memorial Hospital as per their request and two of them were subsequently admitted.
Yolanda Glen, an intern of the Cyril Potter College of Education (CPCE) who is attached to the Ketley Primary School in Charlestown, sustained a broken arm and was being treated up to press time at the private medical facility. Klarchie Williams, 38, sustained gaping wounds to her hand, feet and breast. Her daughter, Anastasia George, a North Rumiveldt Multilateral School student, sustained minor lacerations to her body and was being kept for observation since she complained of pains in her back.
Mother and grandmother respectably, of the duo related from the hospital last evening that she was at home when she received word that both had been in an accident. She gathered other relatives and rushed to the Davis Hospital where she said she knew they would request to go as they are practicing Seventh Day Adventists. “I trouble from pressure so when I heard of the accident and how bad the bus was I decided to come down all the way here instead of stay home and worry about what happening to them,” the woman said. She stated that she was optimistic that her daughter and granddaughter will recovery quickly.
Fifth form St Joseph’s High School student, 16-year-old Suelan Daniels, sustained minor injuries and was treated at the Diamond Hospital and sent away. She told Stabroek News that she was currently taking the Caribbean Secondary Education Certificate examinations and she had another exam today. She said she was praying there would be no after effects and that she would be able to take all ten of her subjects without worry or ill health.
Also treated at the Diamond Hospital were Celestine Samaroo, Crystal Samaroo, Selwayne Hamer and bus driver of BLL 9313 Ryan Ramphal. The name of the other bus driver was only given as “Buckman” and he was taken to the Diamond Hospital by the police to be checked and then to the Grove Police Station.
(Additional reporting by Frances Abraham)
