An accident yesterday morning at Hope Turn, East Coast Demerara, has left a Golden Grove man dead.
Shop owner Kevin Hohenkirk, popularly known as “Gaza,” 28, of Lots 122 Section “C” Golden Grove and 34 Victoria, was struck by a Route 50 minibus around 9:30 am as he headed south along the Hope Turn on his motorcycle. The bus, travelling in the direction of Georgetown, was reportedly transporting passengers headed to a creek, likely to enjoy Republic Day celebrations.
An eyewitness to the accident related that after being struck, Hohenkirk had been left to lie on the roadway for at least 20 minutes until someone passed with a pickup and offered assistance. He said that those nearby had been reluctant to assist with transporting the injured, bleeding man. There was a taxi service just across the road, near where the accident occurred.
The man pointed out the spot in the middle of the road where blood had pooled and stated that Hohenkirk had bled profusely through his nose and mouth. He said that when Hohenkirk was picked up to be taken to the hospital, he had still been breathing.
Another eyewitness, a contractor, who had been working on a house just across the road from the site of the accident, related that he had heard the impact of the collision and ran outside. According to him, bystanders at first had been searching for the man’s body, not realising it was covered by his motorbike. The helmet the man wore, had pitched into the windscreen of the bus, he said.
A look at the vehicle revealed that the bottom right side of the windscreen was shattered and dented in, while the bumper of the bus was missing.
When Hohenkirk’s family was visited last evening, his mother, Natalie Hohenkirk, could not readily give information regarding the accident as she had not yet received a report from the police. She said, however, that her last contact with her son had been yesterday morning, when he had come to visit their home at Victoria. Police had promised to provide her with an update after they were finished dealing with the Mashramani celebrations.
Reports are that the driver of the bus had been taken into police custody.
