A 14-year-old pedal cyclist died on Tuesday evening shortly after he was involved in a collision with a minibus along the Diamond Public Road, East Bank Demerara and his mother is calling for justice.
Dead is Mark McKoy called “Markie” of Lot 561 Cinema Street, Diamond, East Bank Demerara and a student of Dolphin Secondary School.
The accident occurred around 7 pm on Tuesday and McKoy was taken to the Diamond Hospital in an unconscious state where he succumbed while receiving medical attention the said evening.
An autopsy performed on his remains yesterday revealed that he died as a result of a fractured skull.
The Guyana Police Force, in a statement issued on the incident, said enquiries have disclosed that minibus BVV 989 was proceeding south along the eastern side of the public road, whilst McKoy was towing a male on the handle of a bicycle proceeding north on the western side of the said road.
The police said it was alleged that the McKoy swerved into the path of the minibus, during which the pillion rider jumped off and McKoy collided with the bus.
The 46-year-old driver of the minibus who hails from Kaneville, Grove, EBD, was taken into custody as the investigation continues. He was subject to a breathalyzer test which recorded no trace of alcohol on his breath.
At the teenager’s home yesterday, family members including his siblings were trying to come to grips with his death. His mother, Pamela McKoy was heard stating what a pleasant individual he was as she constantly broke down in tears.
Pamela explained to this newspaper that her son was at home with his family relaxing when a friend of his who resides next door called out for him. As a result, he grabbed a t-shirt and left the house. “He don’t usually go nowhere far at them hours, so we didn’t know he was going on the road… When we do find out we hearing that the boy [his friend] call him to follow he in Grove by his grandmother house to drop off some food,” Pamela explained.
She said while she has been receiving conflicting reports about how the incident occurred, she was informed that Mark and his friend were returning home when he overtook a motor car and ended up in the path of the minibus. “I don’t know who to believe really and nobody ain’t even coming forward to say anything… I just want justice for meh son,” she said.
“They left my son too long laying down on the road after the accident. If they did move fast his life could have maybe been saved,”, she related while noting that when she enquired why there was a delay in transporting him to the hospital she was told that persons said they had to await the arrival of the police before moving him.
The grieving mother said that she learnt about the incident after receiving a call from a member of her church. She immediately left for the scene but before she arrived there Mark had been taken to the hospital. “They had he on saline and oxygen and so when I go there [the hospital] and they try their best to save his life,” Pamela said.
This newspaper was informed that the police re-visited the scene yesterday in company of the driver and McKoy’s friend as the investigation continues.
