A Corentyne taxi driver and his friend are now dead after he lost control of his car during a street race and crashed into a paddy truck at Borlam Turn, Coren-tyne, in the wee hours of Tuesday morning.
Driver Latchman Sukhan, 20, of Lot 333 Ankerville, Port Mourant, Corentyne, and his friend, Yujisteer Puran, also known as ‘Danny’, 26, a security officer of Lot 50 Crawford Street, Rose Hall Town, Corentyne, were reportedly racing Sukhan’s older brother, Karan Sukhan, 22, who was in another car along the Corentyne Highway when the accident occurred.
Stabroek News was told that Sukhan lost control of his car, PSS 1682, as he rounded the Borlam Turn and skidded sideways into a paddy truck, GZZ 4440, which had stopped in the corner of the road in his lane after noticing the oncoming “sliding car.”
In a statement on the accident, the police said the younger Sukhan proceeding east along the northern drive lane of Borlam Public Road and was in the process of negotiating a turn along the Number One Public Road when the driver lost control of his vehicle, which spun several times and collided with the front of the truck, which was proceeding south along the eastern drive lane of the road.
The police said the driver of the truck was arrested and was being held at the Albion Police Station. A breathalyzer test that was conducted on him found no trace of alcohol in his breath.
This newspaper was told that Karan Sukhan was also arrested but he was subsequently released yesterday.
The police made no mention of the now dead youths being involved in a race at the time of their death.
According to an eyewitness, Suresh Mathews, 28, a porter, of Black Bush Polder, who was on the truck, they were on their way to transport paddy to a rice mill in Region Five when the accident occurred just around 03.37 hrs.
“Abbay deh a come up and abbay see two car a come around the turn deh. One black car and this red car here. And when the car come around, me see the black car pass am and then me see the red car a come cross way (sideways) on the road a come, and the driver fa the truck pull down a the corner and stop and he (red car) a come cross way and broadside the truck in front,” he recounted.
Mathews insisted that the truck had already stopped when Sukhan’s car skidded into the front of it. Afterward Mathews said both he and the driver ran to help the occupants of the car. They noticed that the driver could be removed but Puran was pinned down in the front passenger side seat. He said, “The black car that pass turn and come back and then he [the driver] start holla, ‘Watch wah happen to be buddy!’ And he take him [Sukhan] out and carry him hospital.”
Puran’s body was eventually removed from the wreckage by members of the Guyana Fire Service and then transported to the Port Mourant Hospital by members of the Guyana Police Force and was pronounced dead on arrival.
Breadwinner
Meanwhile, at Sukhan’s house, his grandmother, Kowsilla Sukhan, 71, was still in a state of shock as she came to terms with the death of her grandson, who was providing for her financially.
He had left home before midnight, telling her that he had a job. “So how come he deh out on the road.”
However, she said minutes before 04:00 hrs she was informed by Sukhan’s brother that the young man was involved in an accident. The elderly woman went to the New Amsterdam Hospital, where she learned that Latchman, who resided with her since he was a baby, had passed away.
Latchman, two siblings and their father, Harrichand Sukhan, a popular hire car driver known as ‘Red Scorpion’, 45, had been residing with Kowsilla.
However, the father passed away about a month and a half ago due to COVID-19. “Latchman a one good boy. He a work and maintain me in this house with everything actually. He a work and bring money to maintain the house,” she stressed.
Police yesterday took Karan Sukhan as well as the truck driver into custody for questioning.
However, Kowsilla said that she needed her grandson to assist her. “Me tell them how ayo go lock him up? If anything me go bring him back. But them refuse and me need him here to help we do things. Me na know wah fa do.”
Puran’s mother, Bibi Puran, also known as ‘Baby’, 47, rushed to the hospital after learning of the accident. She claimed that as soon as she arrived she saw her son’s body being taken into the hospital.
She later had a chance to view his body at the hospital’s mortuary. “Bare blood deh on his face and he whole skin. Bare blood,” she stated as she broke into tears.
The woman related that Puran, who was a security officer at the Food Court located in Albion, Corentyne, got off work just before midnight. She said he later met with his father and younger brother who were out taking a drink and he brought them home with Sukhan’s car.
However, around 01:00 hrs the now dead man told his mother that he would be visiting his girlfriend, who resides at Williamsburg, Corentyne. “He say, ‘Mommy me go take a two beer.’”
According to the woman, she spoke with Sukhan, who was close friend of her younger son. “Me go outside and talk with them and he [Sukhan] promise me he go bring home my son in one hour. He say them a comeback in one hour… .”
Puran was the father of a five-year-old girl.
The families described both deceased as helpful men who were building their lives.
