Months after he was involved in a serious motorcycle accident, a 19-year-old pillion rider lost his life yesterday afternoon after he was reportedly crushed by a fuel truck along the Sisters Village, WBD Public Road.
Dead is John Walcott popularly known as “Redman”, a father of one of Lot 3663 Westminster, WBD.
While details surrounding the accident which occurred around 1.15 pm remain sketchy, Stabroek News understands that Walcott was the pillion rider on a motorcycle when he met his demise.
Reports are that as the motorcycle was negotiating a turn at the Sisters Villager Public Road, allegedly at a fast rate, the rider lost control resulting in the motorcycle skidding.
As a result, Walcott fell onto the road and his head was crushed by an oncoming fuel truck, GJJ 3746.
The rider of the bike reportedly fled the scene.
The driver of the fuel truck was taken into custody and is currently assisting with investigations.
When Stabroek News visited the scene yesterday, residents recalled that they were alerted upon hearing screams. Upon checking, they saw Walcott’s lifeless body under the front wheel of the truck. His face was disfigured.
At the dead man’s home yesterday, relatives were trying to come to grips with the shocking news of his death.
His mother was inconsolable and unable to comment on the accident.
A cousin, Shondelle Griffith explained to this newspaper that she was at home in Providence, East Bank Demerara when she received a call from her niece who works in Georgetown.
“Me niece call me and say if I heard what happen…..I know me bruddah does behave lil bad on the road so I seh owh God don’t tell me meh bruddah dead and she seh ‘no, is about John’ and I seh oh God I ain’t want hear nothing and I put down the phone,” Griffith said.
She said she then called Walcott’s sister to enquire whether she heard of what was wrong with him. “I call meh cousin right away which is John sister. ‘I seh girl wah happen with John? You heard anything?’ and she seh no she ain’t hear nothing but somebody call and seh something but she aint know if is truth,” Griffith further related.
Upon ending that call, she said she contacted Walcott’s mother who is employed with a Government ministry. “Some supervisor answer the phone and seh she (Walcott mother) can’t talk right now, she blood pressure high and that something about her son. Somebody just call and say he die. So I seh oh gosh and I start to holler down in the house,” Griffith related.
She added that she subsequently left home for the West Demerara Regional Hospital. However, upon arrival there, she learnt that Walcott’s body had already been taken to the Ezekiel Parlour.
Griffith said she positively identified the remains as that of Walcott. “Cause I could recognize he (Walcott) from the foot, cause recently he went in an accident and the lil bit hair he got on he head but he face so disfigured,” she noted.
Up to yesterday afternoon, the family were still unaware of the circumstances under which the accident occurred.
“…….I was not at the scene….so far we heard that somebody was towing him (Walcott). I don’t know how true is it and that they was speeding and he lost control of the bike and my cousin (Walcott) fell off and there was a truck and he go under and whatever. Dah is what the people said. I haven’t see it, I haven’t heard it from the police,” Griffith explained.
She said at the time of his death, Walcott was still recovering from a previous accident which occurred several months ago.
During that accident, she said Walcott sustained life threatening injuries. His right foot was almost severed. “…Right now he aint even get well from the previous accident. He got steel and all kind thing in he foot and so on,” Griffith said.
Walcott leaves to mourn a newborn child.
