A 17-year-old cyclist died on Monday evening after he reportedly collided with a Route 50 minibus along the Good Faith Public Road, East Coast Demerara.
Dead is Ricardo James, 17, a labourer of Lot 12 Recess Village, Mahaicony, ECD. He was picked up in an unconscious state and rushed to the Mahaicony Cottage hospital where he was pronounced dead on arrival.
The accident occurred around 22.15hrs.
Enquiries, the police said disclosed that at the time of the accident, minibus BTT 5273 was proceeding west along the southern carriageway of the road whilst James was proceeding east along the southern side.
“When it is alleged by the bus driver that the cyclist (James) suddenly swerved north into his path and collided with the front left side of his vehicle”, the statement explained.
As a result of the impact, the police said James fell onto the roadway. The front wheel of the bicycle was also dislodged.
The driver of the minibus; a 59-year-old resident of La Raisonable, ECD is in custody assisting with investigations.
He was given a breathalyser test which showed no trace of blood alcohol.
The dead teen’s mother, Donna Madray told Stabroek News that she last saw her son alive shortly after 6pm on Monday when he left home for a friend’s house in the area. “Is not far, if I sit down home here I could see the friend house from here”, Madray said.
“He (James) claim how he going by a friend. He borrow a bicycle from the same friend and say he going and buy some cigarette and the friend say he never return back”, she added.
As time passed and James did not return, his friend became worried and went in search for him, Madray said. “So when he (the friend) go, he seh that how he see the bicycle on the road but he didn’t see he (James) and then he heard the boy (James) geh accident and they done take he to the hospital”, Madray explained.
She said she learnt of the accident around 11pm on Monday, some two hours after.
“When I hear everything did done finish. When I left home and I go to Mahaicony hospital, then meh husband and my brother-in-law ask them fuh see he (James) but them seh that they already take him to the mortuary and them nah able go back. Suh I aint geh fuh see meh son, neither meh husband, no, nobody up to now”, the grieving mother related.
She said James was positively identified by his father who was shown a photograph by the police. “The police come and look for us home, same time the friend did coming back home to tell we wah happen, the police come with he”, she said.
The woman further related that up to yesterday afternoon, the family was still trying to find out the circumstances surrounding the accident. “All kind different story we hearing and up to now the police aint provide we with no sort ah information “, she said.
James would have celebrated his 18th birthday tomorrow.
