In the wee hours of yesterday morning, a former United States Army officer became the latest road fatality in Berbice after riding his motorcycle into a utility pole along the Corentyne Public Road.
Vincent Indhal, 37, who has addresses both in the United States and Cromarty Farm, Corentyne, Berbice, was pronounced dead on arrival at the Port Mourant Hospital.
Indhal, who was riding a CBR motor cycle CJ 1042, is reported to have crashed into a utility pole on the Clifton Settlement Public Road around 2 am.
Stabroek News learnt that at the time, Indhal and two friends were returning from a car and bike show that was held in East Canje.
Police said in a press release that investigations have revealed that Indhal was “allegedly driving his motor cycle at a fast rate when he lost control and collided with a utility pole.”
‘B’ Division Chief Traffic Officer Calvin Brutus told this newspaper that the three men were heading east at a fast rate on the main public road. One of them later dropped out and the two others continued.
At Clifton Settlement, residents said that it was while approaching a turn on the road that Indhal lost control, hit a road sign and then crashed into the utility pole.
Most residents were awakened by the piercing sounds of the CBR motor bikes, and later the sounds from an impact. It was then that residents rushed out of their homes to find out what had occurred.
A few of them said when they arrived on the scene Indhal was lying in the trench next to the utility pole. They said he appeared disfigured as he bore several gaping cuts and bruises.
Stabroek News also told that one of his hands was severed.
This newspaper also gathered from residents that after the motorcycle hit the utility pole, it flew several feet away from the accident scene. It was found in a resident’s yard approximately three houses away from where the accident occurred. Persons who stopped and viewed the scene opined that the only way the motorcycle could have reached into the resident’s yard was because of fast rate at which the rider was travelling.
Up to yesterday morning, pieces of Indhal’s body were still present at the scene and the utility pole was still blood-stained. The impact of the collision dislodged a road light attached to the pole and its housing was seen hanging on to its connection on the pole.
Meanwhile, Crystal Indhal, who is an overseas-based Guyanese, said her brother was indeed returning home at the time of the accident. She explained that during the morning hours, she received a call from a friend who informed that her brother was had an accident on the public road at Clifton. The woman said she rushed to the scene, where she found her brother’s unconscious body in the drain.
The distraught sister said she did not believe her brother lost control. She alleged that the other rider “bounced” into her brother, leading him to crash. But when asked about the allegation, Brutus said that
investigators had tested the motive but no concrete evidence was found. He also stated that they took a statement from the other riders. In addition, he stated the investigators tested the motor ycles for evidence but nothing was found.
Indhal was a married father of four.
