A man and his girlfriend died yesterday morning and several others including four police officers were injured after a high-speed chase ended in a four-vehicle accident along the Mahaica Bridge.
Dead are Christopher Bhagwandat, 21, of Mon Repos, East Coast Demerara (ECD) and Sheereda Persaud, 16 of Bath, West Coast Berbice (WCB).
Police Commander of Region Four, Khali Pareshram confirmed that the accident occurred around 11am. He said at the time, Bhagwandat who was the driver of motor car, PNN 8852 was being pursued by police vehicle, PAB 3143 after he allegedly drove away after being stopped at a police roadblock.
In a press statement, the Guyana Police Force (GPF) said preliminary investigations revealed that police Corporal David and Constable Griffith were conducting traffic duties on the Zealand Public Road, Mahaicony, ECD when Constable Griffith stopped Bhagwandat’s car.
Bhagwandat, the statement said, pulled to the left side of the road and as a rank approached his vehicle, he drove off at a fast rate.
As such, police pick-up, PAB 3143 which was passing was immediately informed and they pursued Bhagwandat’s car.
The force vehicle was driven by Corporal Carmichael. He was accompanied by three other ranks: Constables Tucker, Johnson and Sam.
“According to Corporal Carmichael, as they were pursuing the vehicle on the Mahaica Bridge, the driver pulled right and collided with the force vehicle, which collided with the bridge rail and both the force vehicle and PNN 8852 collided with motor canter, GJJ 9151” which was proceeding in the opposite direction, the police explained.
Another motor car, PAB 8222 which was driven by Derick Dickson, 29, of New Amsterdam, Berbice that was behind the canter also sustained damage as a result of the accident. His wife, Okesi Lynch and their two children ages 8 and 2 were also in the car.
All of the victims except for the driver of the canter who has been identified as Omesh Persaud of Leguan were rushed to the Mahaicony Cottage Hospital where Bhagwandat and Persaud were pronounced dead on arrival.
Constables Tucker, Sam and Johnson were referred to the Georgetown Public Hospital (GPH) for further medical attention.
It remains unclear why Bhagwandat was stopped by the police. The deaths will raise questions about the police pursuit and whether it should have occurred. Other such police pursuits have ended in fatalities and serious injuries.
The accident was captured on nearby CCTV footage which was circulated on social media site, Facebook.
In the video seen by Stabroek News, the canter had already entered the bridge when it flipped after the force vehicle and PNN 8852 collided head-on into it. After the canter turned turtle, it crashed into PAB 8222.
As the news of the accident spread, relatives of Bhagwandat rushed to the scene.
A relative, who wished not to be named told reporters that Bhagwandat’s mother celebrated her birthday yesterday and he had travelled to Berbice earlier in the day to pick up Persaud.
“Today is he (Bhagwandat) mom birthday and he tell she he going and bring she (Persaud). She tell me ‘tell he I ain’t want he go till to Berbice’. I tell he don’t go and he still want to go and he leave this morning (yesterday) fah go bring she for the mother birthday,” the relative explained.
Bhagwandat’s father passed away only four months ago.
This newspaper was told that Persaud was a participant at the 6th annual Youth Parliament which took place in August last year. She played the role of the Minister of Home Affairs and moved a motion titled “safe usage of Guyana’s roadway”.
Traverse
When Stabroek News arrived at the scene, only traffic heading to Georgetown was allowed to traverse the Mahaica bridge. The crashed force vehicle and the canter were still at the centre of the bridge while the two motor cars, one of which was damaged beyond repair had already been removed and placed in front of the nearby Mahaica police station.
Traffic heading in the direction of Mahaicony had been stopped. While some drivers were forced to turn around, other particularly drivers of trucks which were laden with items to be delivered formed a long line as they awaited permission to proceed.
Shards of shattered windshields and vehicle parts were among the items that could have been seen on the roadway.
Persaud, the driver of the canter who appeared to have sustained minor injuries to his feet told reporters at the scene that he was heading to Berbice.
“The police vehicle ah chase this car (PNN 8852) going down west and middle ah the bridge them lose control. Dah ah weh them crash. Them lick up one another and they slide…. Straight over pun me lane and fasten under the canter and topple the canter,” Persaud explained.
Meanwhile, Kerven Critchlow, a resident of the area told Stabroek News that he was in his kitchen when he heard a loud impact. “I ran to my back patio and then is when I see everything just come together….The canter hit the two cars together and pushed them onto the side walk,” Critchlow said.
The intersection before the Mahaica Bridge is prone to accidents, Critchlow said.
He said authorities need to seriously consider installing traffic lights or a roundabout at the intersection.
Overtaking on the bridge, he said is another frequent practice of drivers. “…You does find two cars going over that bridge and they don’t even look to see what or who coming on the other side,” Critchlow said.
