A 35-year-old excavator operator died on Sunday evening after he was crushed by a truck, from which he reportedly jumped along Kumung Trail, Mazaruni, Region Seven.
Dead is Phillip Arthur, of Lot 38 Section B, Block X, Diamond Housing Scheme, East Bank Demerara, who police say jumped from the truck after it developed mechanical problems while ascending a hill.
The police said the incident occurred around 6.30 pm on Sunday, after which the driver, a 42-year-old Itaballi resident, was arrested.
Up to press time yesterday he remained in custody.
According to a Guyana Police Force statement, Arthur was seated in the cabin of the truck, GPP 8748, with trailer TPP 9380.
While ascending a hill, the police related, the truck experienced mechanical problems and began to fall. As a result, Arthur reportedly jumped out of the vehicle and its front right wheel ran over him, the police said.
However, Veronica Johnson, the dead man’s reputed wife, is calling for a thorough investigation of the accident.
Johnson said she does not believe that Arthur jumped out of the moving truck as is being claimed. “…He (Arthur) body deh good… he body ain’t look bruk up in the photograph that was sent to me. He body look good, good, good,” she said.
The woman noted that if Arthur had jumped from the truck, he would have sustained more severe injuries about his body. “He (Arthur) body supposed to be mash up,” she noted while adding, “everything come out he mouth. Like if is an excavator bucket press he down or something, I don’t really know.”
The woman said while she was not present at the time of the accident, she has since been hearing various accounts of what transpired.
She said a colleague of Arthur yesterday reported to her that after he jumped out of the truck, his clothes were hooked, resulting in him being brushed by the wheel.
Johnson explained that Arthur worked as an excavator operator in the interior—mainly in Region Seven—for the past 15 years.
She said he left home some two weeks ago for Region Seven.
During this period, Johnson said Arthur was in constant contact with her, as was customary, and he related to her that the truck was developing mechanical problems. “They had to repair the truck because like it wasn’t fixing properly based on my knowledge. That is what he call me and tell me,” Johnson said.
According to Johnson, she last spoke with Arthur last Friday, when he informed her that he would be travelling to another location which would take him four days to arrive.
The woman said she learnt of the incident after another employee contacted her brother.
“My brother drive that same truck already and it bruk up again. Like it ain’t proper. It use to give a lot of trouble,” Johnson related.
She noted that the employee has since informed her that they will take care of Arthur’s funeral expenses.
Arthur’s body is presently at the Bartica Hospital Mortuary awaiting a post-mortem.
