After fleeing the scene after Sunday evening’s fatal accident along the Garden of Eden, East Bank Demerara (EBD) Public Road, the driver of the minibus in which the now deceased Charlestown resident Michael Cozier was travelling, has surrendered to the police.
Stabroek News was reliably informed that the driver, a 31-year-old resident of Supply, EBD, turned himself into the police at Grove Police station on Monday morning in the company of an attorney.
He was subjected to a breathalyser test, which showed that there was no trace of alcohol in his breath. The minibus, BXX 3014, belongs to a relative of the driver.
The accident, which occurred around 10.50 pm on Sunday, claimed the life of Cozier, also known as ‘Ricky,’ of Lot 3 Evans Street, Charlestown, who was a supervisor at BK Supermix.
The injured passengers have been identified as Police Constable #18333 Linden Charles, who is stationed at the Mocha Outpost; Monique Isaacs, 62; Nafeeza Omroo, 24; Devon Benjamin, 23; and Asaneya Thom, 16.
They were all picked up by public-spirited citizens and taken to the Diamond Diagnostic Centre, where Cozier was pronounced dead on arrival.
Charles, who sustained injuries to his spine, and Benjamin, who suffered a broken right hand, were treated and transferred to the Georgetown Public Hospital (GPH), where they were admitted.
Charles, a resident of Yarrowkabra, Soesdyke Highway, is said to be critical
Meanwhile, the three others were treated and discharged.
Investigations, the police had said, revealed that the minibus was proceeding south along the eastern side of the public road at a fast rate of speed when the driver allegedly lost control of the bus, which toppled several times before coming to a halt in a nearby trench.
Cozier’s neck was reportedly pinned by the bus.
Natoya Cozier, the dead man’s wife, previously related to this newspaper that she only learnt about the accident on Monday morning, several hours after it occurred, when a friend visited her home and broke the news to her.
Natoya said she immediately went to the Diamond Diagnostic Centre, where her worst fears were confirmed.
She explained that she last saw Michael on Sun-day evening, when he left home for work. “He was at work earlier in the day and he came home and went back because he say he had something to do,” Natoya recalled.
It is unclear where he was heading at the time of the accident.
An autopsy is expected to be conducted on Cozier’s remains today.
