The Commission of Inquiry (COI) into the more than three-week-old accident along the Friendship, East Bank Demerara Public Road which claimed the lives of five persons has been completed and speeding by the police vehicle was excessive, according to President David Granger.
“There is clear evidence that the police vehicle was driving at an excessive rate which was not necessary at that time. It was not part of my convoy, it was not necessary at that time of the morning. The road was clear and there were no obstacles and again I don’t want to name names but there is an element of culpability there and the Commissioner of Police will take action in that regard”, Granger yesterday said.
The President was at the time responding to questions from the media on the sidelines of an event held at the Ministry of the Presidency yesterday morning.
The President noted that several recommendations were made in the COI and he has since written to Commissioner of Police Leslie James with instructions on the way forward.
As a matter of fact, he added that James has already applied “some” actions as regards the enforcement of traffic regulations.
“…..I have written the Commissioner of Police…As you can see, he (James) has already initiated some action in terms of enforcement of traffic regulations and I expect that there will be greater vigilance not only now but during the Christmas period,” the President said.
The Head of State said that following the accident, the police force has been warned and more caution is expected to be taken on the roadways.
“….It was an accident that ought not to have happened. But the police have been warned and I expect that there is going to be more care not only for human life on the roads but almost for the vehicles. But we’re deeply concerned for human lives,” he added.
The President described the accident as a “great tragedy” which he said he “deeply regrets”.
Following the accident, President Granger had ordered that a COI be conducted to determine the factors that contributed to the crash.
The President had stopped at the scene and observed what had transpired while travelling from his private residence along the East Bank of Demerara on the morning of the accident.
The crash had occurred around 5:36 am on October 15 when a speeding police car collided head-on with a car being driven by Leon Tucker.
The collision resulted in the deaths of Ronnel Barker, 24, a Presidential Guard who was driving the police car; Leon Tucker, 34, of 2544 Recht-Door-Zee, West Bank Demerara, a father of two and a member of the Guyana Defence Force; Tucker’s aunt, Lovern Stoby, 66, of Third Street, Friendship, who was a traffic officer at the John Fernandes Wharf; Denise King Josiah, 57, a cleaner, and her husband Hubert Josiah, 58, a porter, both of 105 Second Street, Friendship, who were employees of the Diamond Diagnostic Centre.
Trisha Lindon, who was a passenger in Tucker’s car and Presidential Guard Travis Fullington, who was a passenger in the police car are the only two survivors of the crash.
Police, in a statement on the night of the crash, said that Constable 22621 Barker was on duty driving force vehicle PTT 9313 along the roadway when his vehicle collided with motor vehicle PPP 515, which was proceeding in the opposite direction.
Surveillance footage of the accident that was posted on Facebook showed that the police car was moving at a fast rate, with its lights flashing at the time.
Tucker was proceeding in the opposition direction in the next lane. The footage showed that just before the collision, upon approaching the police vehicle, Tucker applied brakes and slowed down in his lane.
However, the two vehicles collided and both vehicles spun around before coming to a halt some distance away from the point of impact. The police car landed in a nearby trench.
A few days ago, a seminar was held for the Force’s drivers from the 10 Regional Divisions inclusive of Headquarters at the Officers’ Training Centre, Eve Leary during which Traffic Chief Linden Isles warned about speeding and the abuse of vehicles.
