A Police Constable died yesterday morning at the New Amsterdam Hospital, hours after he crashed into an escaped psychiatric patient along the Borlam Public Road, East Coast Berbice.
Dead is Police Constable 22155, Khrystama Yasin, 23, of Lot 34 Vryheid, West Canje, Berbice, who had been riding home on his motorcycle after 11pm on Thursday, when the accident occurred.
According to Commander of ‘B’ Division Ian Amsterdam, Yasin, who was stationed at the Whim Police Station, was proceeding west along the southern carriageway of the Borlam Public Road when he collided with, Youlander Collins, who was pushing a bicycle along the roadway.
Both Yasin and Collins were picked up and rushed to the New Amsterdam Public Hospital. However, Yasin later succumbed to his injuries around 5.30 am yesterday, while he was being prepared for transfer to the Georgetown Public Hospital (GPH).
Collins, 27, of Dazzell Housing Scheme, East Coast Demerara, has since been transferred to the GPH, where she is admitted in a stable condition. She is said to have suffered a broken leg.
Stabroek News was told that Collins was a patient at the New Amsterdam Psychiatric Hospital.
It has been alleged that the woman stole the bicycle belonging to one of the nurses, quietly left the compound without any official being aware and walked all the way to the Borlam Public Road, where the accident occurred.
The woman’s escape is likely to put the security arrangements at the Psychiatric Hospital under further scrutiny. Previously, a man entered the hospital’s compound and fatally stabbed his ex-wife, who was employed there.
Afterward, health officials in the region had told Stabroek News that security would have been beefed up at the hospital and that measures would have been put in place to prevent anyone from entering and exiting the compound without permission.
Meanwhile, Amsterdam stated that Yasin was an officer that showed great potential in the force. He said he had selected Yasin to attend the Criminal Investigation Department Induction Course in Georgetown. According to Amsterdam, while the course would have started sometime next week, Yasin would have had to leave yesterday morning to travel to Georgetown. He noted that it was a trip the constable was excited to make.
When Stabroek News visited Yasin’s home yesterday, his family, including his parents and siblings, had not yet come to terms with his sudden demise. He was remembered as a hardworking man.
