A West Coast Berbice (WCB) taxi driver died early yesterday morning after he crashed into a parked truck along the Bush Lot Public Road.
The accident, which occurred at approximately 4:30AM, claimed the life of Regan Simpson, also called Kester Reddock, 41, of Lot 165 B Main Street, Hopetown, WCB.
Although details of the accident remain unclear, police, in a statement, said Simpson was allegedly driving at a “fast rate” along the public road, when he lost control of the vehicle and collided with the parked truck.
It has also been suggested that Simpson fell asleep at the wheel before the accident.
Residents rushed to help the driver upon hearing the impact of the crash.
Stabroek News was told that first responders found the front of his car, PSS 854, pressed into the truck. Upon further inspection, they noticed Simpson motionless and tried to remove him from the car. The truck’s owner had to move the vehicle a short distance in order for the rescuers to remove Simpson from his car without any difficulty. During that time, a cousin, Alistair Roberts, arrived on the scene. He later transported the man to the Fort Wellington Hospital, where he was pronounced dead on arrival. Roberts told reporters that he received a phone call at around 4:40AM from someone who informed him that his cousin was involved in an accident.
He immediately went to the scene, where he found Simpson unconscious. He said from the time he saw his cousin, he felt he had to brace himself for the worst. Nonetheless, he rushed Simpson to the hospital. “He had some bruises on his face, on his stomach and his hand was swollen. I can’t say if his neck was broken,” he said.
Roberts, also used the opportunity to call on authorities to remove trucks parked along the roadway. He said that while he understands it is a harvesting season for rice farmers, the paddy trucks are a hazard to drivers and especially those who are not aware that the vehicles are on the roadway at the “blind turn.”
Roberts stated that at one point a sign was erected to advise drivers to “slow” but it has since vanished.
He also cited the horrific accident in March that ended the lives of Tommy Thomas, 22, Jeron James, 19, and Andrew Doris, 19, after the driver of the vehicle transporting them lost control and crashed into a parked truck.
Simpson had been a taxi driver over the past 18 months. He is survived by his wife and infant child.
