A Farm, East Bank Essequibo woman was killed around 2:15 am yesterday when the Route 32 minibus she was travelling in collided with another minibus close to the Demerara Harbour Bridge (DBH).
Roxanne Mitchell, 44, along with her husband, Peter Mitchell, 50, and others were at the time returning home from the flag-raising ceremony, which marked Guyana’s 50th Independence anniversary, when tragedy struck.
She was rushed to the Diamond Diagnostic Centre (DDC) where she was pronounced dead shortly after arriving.
Her husband and other passengers suffered minor injuries and were also treated at the DDC. Peter was transferred to the West Demerara Regional Hospital and was discharged a few hours later.
The accident occurred at Peters Hall, East Bank Demerara as they were turning onto the access road to the DHB.
Speaking to this newspaper from his home, Peter said, “All I remembered seeing is a Route 42 minibus coming with a speed and I said, ‘Oh God, this is an accident’! And I held onto my seat.”
Roxanne, his wife of 22 years, was seated next to him at the window side and the top half of her body was flung out. The bus ended up flipping on its side on impact and Mitchell was pinned underneath.
Peter said he instinctively climbed out of the bus from the other side and tried to lift it up to free her but could not manage and some other men came to his assistance. He said sadly that Roxanne was not moving.
He said they tried unsuccessfully to call an ambulance to take her to the hospital.
A few fire officers showed up shortly after and took her.
When they got to the hospital the doctors tried to give her oxygen “but I know they tried to fool me.” They then checked her pulse and pronounced her dead before covering her “with a sheet.”
Clutching a photograph of him and Roxanne, Peter cried inconsolably.
He said they had arranged with the minibus from the village to transport them to the event and left around 6:15 pm to go. They left the venue after 1 am to return home but the bus took a while to get out of the traffic.
