The 19-year-old driver of the motor vehicle involved in the fatal accident that claimed the lives of three persons on Monday night, was allegedly racing when he lost control of the car, police yesterday said.
The fatal accident claimed the lives of three men who were standing in front of the Sharmila Harrykissoon Sports Bar on the De Willem Public Road, West Coast Demerara.
The dead men have been identified as Carlito Gobin, 23, of De Willem, and fishermen Kiran Rampersaud, called ‘Rocky’, 41, of Zeeburg, and Ayube Mohammed, 44, of 167 Meten-Meer-Zorg, West Coast Demerara.
Those injured have been identified as Wazim Mohammed, and Chandrika Veerasammy called ‘Joey’. They were treated and sent home.
Police in a statement yesterday morning said that motorcar PVV 1051 was proceeding west along the southern side of the road allegedly racing another motorcar (number unknown) when the driver lost control of his vehicle.
As a result he crashed into an SUV, PYY 9456, which was parked on the public road in front of Sharmila Harrykissoon Sports Bar, then ran into the bar injuring several patrons.
The driver, Matthew Ambedkar, suffered in-juries to the left side of his face as a result of the impact. A breathalyzer test performed by the police subsequent to the accident showed zero trace of alcohol in his system. He is currently a patient at the Georgetown Public Hospital under guard.
Two clips of surveillance video seen by this newspaper show the vehicle proceeding at an extremely fast rate approaching from the west and crashing into the shop. Immediately after, a black car flew past the scene at high speed.
As of yesterday the families of the deceased men were struggling to come to grips with their demise and called for justice to be served. They said they were still seeking answers on what transpired.
“We come home and not long after my neighbour call and say meh husband meet up with accident… When we come to the scene I see meh husband in the corner of the wall and concrete fall on tap he,” Shanta Persaud, the wife of Mohammed, related yesterday.
According to her, they had left a birthday celebration when Rampersaud suggested to Mohammed they stop at the shop for a beer. The wife explained that the remainder of the family went home leaving the men behind.
“We don’t know what happened and how it happened but when we come we see them dead. Meh husband in the shop, Rocky in the ‘draina’ [drain] and the young boy in front of the pharmacy… we couldn’t ah do nothing for them,” the woman related.
Meanwhile, a relative of Rampersaud said they too received a call around 10 pm informing them of the accident and rushed to the scene.
Gobin’s father, Imran Alli, told this newspaper that he wanted to see justice served. He added that it was horrific to learn that his son died immediately on the scene.
“It hurt me a lot I won’t lie, I going far for this story… he didn’t deserve to die like this,” an emotional Alli said.
Yesterday, he related that he learnt his son was eating a hot dog when the car ploughed into him and the others.
At the scene of the accident on Monday, Gobin’s father said he was at work when the family called and informed him of the tragedy. It was after he got off of work that he managed to visit the scene of the accident.
Co-proprietor of the bar, Murti Ramtoolise, on Monday night said that he was still trying to figure out what had occurred. Moments before the accident he said he was standing outside of the bar with the now deceased men but left and went inside.
“I was standing with them outside and I ordered a hot dog from a man selling in front here. The two fishermen just bought a beer and came outside and were drinking it. After the man went and get sausage, I come inside to get money to pay him and while I inside the bar, I just see this car come straight into the shop,” the man recalled.
He stated that a few seconds later he observed that persons were on the ground and rushed to their assistance. Joey, he said, was the first person to come out and assisted in freeing the man who was pinned under the rubble.
“I had to come and help take out the men. Two of them were between the wall and the side of the car and the other was between all this mess [pointing to the crash scene],” he stated.
Accident survivor, Joey, after receiving medical attention returned to the scene on Monday night. He told Stabroek News that he was sitting in the shop and without any warning he heard a bang and after that he saw the car inside of the bar.
“It happened so fast I don’t know what really happened. I just know I come out and I help the man put the guys inside the bus and take them to the hospital,” he explained.
The proprietors yesterday lamented that the crash will severely impact their business. Apart from the bar, the owners also operate a snackette during the day.
The owners said they intend to seek compensation for the damage as the cost to rebuild could amount to millions.
