Two persons died yesterday afternoon while seven others were injured after the minibus they were travelling in was involved in a four-vehicle accident, along with a horse cart, on the Good Hope Public Road on the East Coast of Demerara (ECD).
One of the drivers of the vehicles has since been placed in custody.
Dead is 38-year-old Annalisa Lackhan-Haynes also called ‘Lisa’, of Lot 81 Gopie Street, Buxton, ECD, and Andrew Albert, of Lamaha Park, Georgetown. He was the driver of minibus BAB 4746 which was involved in the smash-up.
The accident which took place at about 1:01 pm yesterday afternoon, involved minibus, BAB 4746; a pick-up, GNN 3048, driven by Michael Eon Lovell of Goed Intent Village, West Bank Demerara; a lorry, GAC 6803; and motorcar, PLL 5535; along with the horse cart.
According to a statement from the Guyana Police Force (GPF), enquiries into the fatal accident revealed that minibus BAB 4746 was proceeding along the southern drive lane of the northern carriageway, whilst pick-up GNN 3048 was proceeding along the same lane in front of the minibus when the driver of the minibus attempted to overtake the pick-up.
As the minibus was overtaking the pickup, it suddenly lost control and crashed into the motor lorry, GAC 6803, which was parked along the Good Hope Public Road.
As a result of the crash, the minibus turned turtle, pushing the lorry and a horse cart farther east and then collided with the rear of motorcar PLL 5535.
The minibus driver, Albert, and Lackhan-Haynes, who was reportedly sitting behind Albert, were pronounced dead at the scene.
Their bodies were transported to the Georgetown Public Hospital (GPH) mortuary to await post-mortem examinations.
Meanwhile, several other passengers sustained injuries and were also taken to the GPH to seek medical attention.
According to police, the driver of the motor pick-up is in police custody assisting with investigations.
A cousin of the dead woman, Michelle McDonald told Stabroek News that prior to the accident, Lackhan-Haynes was in town running errands and was returning home.
McDonald also told this newspaper that minutes after the accident had occurred, she was passing the scene when she recognised her cousin’s slippers along the side of the road which prompted her to stop and enquire.
“At the time I went going down the East Coast and I saw the accident, but mind you, I didn’t know that she was involved in the accident, is still when we spin around back and we stop I saw her slippers on the road side and I was like [this is my cousin slippers] and a boy came up to me and said [yeah your cousin went in this accident and she just passed way] and that was it,” recounted the grieving relative.
Lackhan-Haynes who was the second of four children, and described as a jovial and pleasant person now leaves to mourn her 16-year-old son and her husband, along with other family members.
Albert was previously involved in an accident where he had struck down 8-year-old Matthew Zaman in 2018 along the East Coast Public Road.
As a result of that incident, Zaman was left bedridden and Albert was charged with dangerous driving and was released on $100,000 bail.
