A 58-year-old pedal cyclist died on Sunday evening after she was struck down by a car driven by a police officer along the Anna Catherina, West Coast Demerara Public Road.
Dead is Ramona Hunte, called “Mitzy,” of Lot 160 Anna Catherina, West Coast Demerara, who was pronounced dead on arrival to the West Demerara Regional Hospital.
Commander of Region 3 Assistant Commissioner Simon McBean confirmed the accident, which occurred around 10.20 pm.
He said an investigation has since been launched after which the file will be sent to the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) for legal advice.
In the meantime, McBean said the driver is under open arrest and continues to perform his duties.
At the time of the accident Hunte was riding her bicycle on the northern side of the public road. She was then struck after a car, bearing licence plate PNN 5547, attempted to overtake another vehicle.
An autopsy performed on Hunte’s remains on Wednesday showed that she died as a result of multiple injuries.
Penelope Kirton, the dead woman’s sister, yesterday told Stabroek News that Hunte was returning home from a nearby shop when the accident occurred.
“She (Hunte) just went out on the road to buy something from a shop and she was coming back in. She was already over the road to go into her gap and this car overtook another vehicle and hit her off the bicycle,” Kirton said.
Kirton expressed surprise and dissatisfaction that her sister death appeared to have gone unnoticed. “…I have not heard anything in the news media. Television, nothing. I haven’t heard nothing about this accident and this is a road fatality. This is not a lil minor accident….This is a road fatality and I haven’t heard anything,” she said.
“…I don’t know what the situation is but our family is really upset. We are upset of the fact that we have lost a love one….killed by a police officer….and nothing has been mentioned in the media…We are upset about it and we need…this is a road fatality and so we have a problem with this,” she added.
Kirton said there is surveillance footage of the accident, which the family has in its possession.
She further explained that she met with the police on Wednesday to follow up on the investigation.
“When I went to the station to get an update of the investigation…they said the investigation is ongoing and then they are going to submit their report to the DPP for report and advice,” Kirton noted.
Kirton said that while she had not spoken to her sister recently, they shared a close relationship.
