A car driven by an off-duty policeman crashed into a `B’ Field, Sophia fence yesterday afternoon sparking fears among residents that bandits were attacking.
Maylne Jordan of Lot 542 `B’ Field, Sophia scrambled out of her home along with other residents in the area to confront the driver and passenger after mistaking them for bandits. She recalled that at around 5:15 pm, a silver Toyota Allion, plate No. PLL 7698, crashed into her fence and ended up in the drain after which the driver and the passenger began dumping empty Guinness bottles at the side of the car.
Jordan noted that after a crowd gathered the two men identified themselves as policemen and began yelling at residents.
The residents explained to Stabroek News that they called the Sophia police station multiple times along with the Sparendaam station but it took over 30 minutes
for officers to arrive at the scene and it was the Sparendaam officers that arrived first. Jordan stated that the uniformed police officers confirmed that the alleged drunk driver was in fact a police officer. The uniformed police then allegedly removed a bulletproof vest, rounds of ammunition and a knife from the car.
One resident stated that the uniformed police from the Sophia station upon arrival expressed frustration that the off-duty officers allowed residents to photograph them removing empty liquor bottles from the vehicle.
She said that “the Sophia police were yelling at them telling them how you gonna let them people take pictures of you taking out the beer bottle.”
One officer at the scene stated “…I trying to save he from the media telling he come sit in the vehicle, but he ain’t want hear he standing up deh cussing out so leh he try deh”. Another followed with “Why yall don’t leff he alone he is human too…is not foreign they is hire police from is right here.”
When Stabroek News arrived, a police tow truck was attempting to remove the vehicle from the drain. The driver began to get agitated with Stabroek News and Jordan. He yelled that “you can’t take pictures here you have to be a 100 feet from the police cordon”. He repeatedly stated that a crime scene had a police cordon and that Stabroek News was not complying. However no police tape had cordoned off any area.
Jordan and her husband inquired about their fence, but were met with outright hostility by the off-duty officer who was stumbling and seemingly unable to stand still.
His breath was heavy with alcohol and residents began asking officers why the breathalyser was not administered immediately.
Residents recalled that the alleged under-the-influence driver told residents he was swerving to avoid two cows but the same residents and a woman who was nearly hit by the erratic driving contradicted that statement noting that there were only a few people on the road and no animals in the area.
