The two survivors of the fatal collision that occurred near Kairuni, along the Linden-Soesdyke Highway, remained hospitalised in critical condition yesterday, while police continued to investigate the accident.
Three Lindeners were confirmed dead after the accident, which occurred after the car they were travelling in reportedly crashed into the rear of a truck that was parked along the road.
The dead men have been identified as Vallan Bowen, 60, of 29 Fairs Rust, Linden, Malroy Ross, 30, of Canvas City, Wismar and Block 22 Wismar, Linden, and Keston Bollers, 19, of 133 Thomas Street, Kara Kara, Linden.
Those listed as critical are Rayon Wilson, a Police Corporal stationed in Bartica, and Junior Hutson, also said to be from Linden. Wilson was reported to have been the driver of the car.
Cari Bowen, daughter of Vallan Bowen, a logger, told Sunday Stabroek that the family received news of the accident and her father’s death just before 11 pm on Friday.
The young woman said the news of his death has shaken the entire family. In offering a description of her father, she said he was hard working and always jovial. He is also survived by his wife, Clorene Bowen, and sons Curtly, Dave and Derwayne Bowen.
A relative of Bollers, who spoke to this newspaper, said the 19-year-old had recently completed studies at the Guyana School of Agriculture (GSA) and was awaiting his graduation.
Friends and family of Bollers, who mourned him on social media, described him as a smart young man, who had a bright future ahead of him. He is survived by his parents and several siblings.
While this newspaper was unable to establish contact with relatives of Ross, known as ‘Fowly,’ information received indicated that he was a mechanic attached to Bosai. He was said to have been the father of two young daughters.
Word about the accident was received just around 7.30 pm, after the car, bearing licence number plate PHH 9398, reportedly slammed into the back of the container truck, bearing licence plate number GPP 2993.
The force of the impact was said to have been so great that the roof of the car was ripped from the body of the vehicle, while one of the occupants was killed almost instantly.
It would appear that the truck’s rear lights were not on at the time.
The police, in a statement issued on Friday evening, said that preliminary investigations revealed that the driver of the truck was proceeding south along the eastern side of the road when his vehicle developed a mechanical problem, causing him to stop.
During the course of carrying out repairs under the front of the lorry, the police added, the driver claimed to have heard an impact at the rear. Upon investigating, he discovered that a car had collided with his vehicle.
There were five male occupants in the car and one of them appeared motionless. Through the assistance of passers-by, four of the occupants of the car were removed and rushed to the Linden Hospital, where two were pronounced dead on arrival, the statement said.
Traffic Chief Dion Moore yesterday stated that Wilson was transferred to the Georgetown Public Hospital, while Hutson remains a patient of the Linden Hospital Complex. Another police official said that the driver of the truck is currently assisting with investigations.
