Leon Parahoo, the driver of the minibus that was involved in the fatal crash on the Corentyne last Thursday was remanded to prison on a causing death by dangerous driving charge.
Parahoo, 24, of Number 69 Village appeared in the Springlands Magistrate’s Court, where he was also charged with failing to render assistance to an injured person after the accident occurred.
Parahoo, who was transporting students from the upper Corentyne home after the Children’s Mashramani competition at Albion, was not required to plead to the indictable charge. He however pleaded not guilty to the second charge.
Nirvan Baichu of Crabwood Creek, who had been one the passengers in the Route 63 bus, which carried licence plate BPP 2259 died as a result of the crash, which occurred on the Bengal public road.
After the charges were read by Magistrate Rabindranauth Singh, Attorney Krisendat Persaud made an application for bail on behalf of the accused.
However, the application was denied subsequent to Police Prosecutor Inspector Godfrey Playter’s objection to bail.
Playter told the court bail should be denied since the accused had fled the scene and failed to render assistance and that persons remained in the hospital as a result of the crash.
Magistrate Singh upheld the objection and bail was refused. The accused is expected to return to court on February 25, at the Number 51 Magistrate’s Court.
Witnesses had said the crash occurred after the bus driver attempted to overtake a car that was also travelling south towards Skeldon and clipped the rear of the vehicle. As a result, the bus driver lost control and the bus toppled several times. During one of the flips, Baichu was said to have been pitched out of the vehicle and he landed on the roadway.
Vimi Bandoo, a University of Guyana student who was travelling home in the car that was clipped by the bus, told Stabroek News that her husband, who was driving, had been proceeding with caution because of the presence of animals on the road.
Bandoo said she suddenly heard “swoosh” and immediately their car began spinning. She said that the car eventually came to a halt after slamming into a parked truck. She stated that because of the speed at which her husband had been proceeding, he was able to maintain some control over the vehicle, thereby preventing serious damage to the vehicle and harm to them.
Baichu, who was unconscious, and other injured students were picked up and taken to the Port Mourant Hospital for medical attention. Baichu was pronounced dead on arrival at the hospital.
