A minibus accident on the Linden/Soesdyke Highway last evening claimed the lives of two Lindeners while several others escaped with minor injuries.
Dead are Roger Hudson, 29, who was the driver of the bus BSS 4774, and Kathleen Marks, 36, a mother of four. The incident occurred at around 6pm in the vicinity of Long Creek, about 20 minutes from Linden.
Injured are Kerry Fraser, 35, of 331 Berbice Road, Mackenzie; Yuannie Robinson, 26, of 48 D’urban Street George-town; Telisha Scott and Shondel Chand of 527 East Ruimvelt. Also injured and treated were Marlon Washington of 183 Wisroc Wismar; Ceon Anthony, 28, of Wisroc; Seon Lamazon, 29, of 18 Section C Christianburg; Marlyn Alley, 29, of West Bank Demerara; Jonelle Gordon, 25, of 114 First Alley Wismar and Mark Nurse, 28, of 92 Half Mile, Wismar.
All of the injured were discharged after being treated by medical personnel at the Linden Hospital.
“I been in the front seat and the bus went driving like at 140/160 (mph) and suddenly, the bus like one of the tire puncture or something…the bus start swerve from the left side of the road straight into the right side…but before it run off the road it start topple, topple couple time, turn over, the driver, the girl next to me, everybody actually pitch out the bus just me alone de left in the bus,” a passenger who asked not to be named, recounted to Stabroek News.
He said that the 15-seater black Pitbull minibus was not packed and when it began toppling, persons began screaming and some were thrown out.
Marks was seated next to a window and she was thrown out of the bus as it toppled over the second time, the man said.
The passenger ex-plained that some of the persons were rushed to the Linden Hospital Complex by passing public-spirited persons who had also called for ambulance backup. Those who were not taken by private vehicles, were taken by the ambulance.
One of Marks’ sons, upon hearing of the accident, rushed to the hospital and was told that his mother had died. He told Stabroek News that his mom was on her way home to celebrate his birthday as she had left for Georgetown earlier in the day.
Marks’ brother-in-law Romain Huthson told Stabroek News that his brother Ricardo Huthson called Javin learned of the accident sometime after 6pm but did not know that it was fatal.
He said that he rushed to the hospital and his brother arrived shortly after only to get the news that Marks had already died.
He said that the housewife has four children and was the foster mother of two of his brothers.
Barbara Hudson, the mother of the bus driver appeared to be very traumatized by the accident and had to be given medication as her blood pressure sharply rose when she went to view her only son’s corpse.
A relative explained that it was the first time the woman showed signs of being hypertensive.
The woman sat in disbelief at the hospital even as she was comforted by a member of her church.
Police were seen at the hospital taking statements from the injured as their investigations continue.
