A Canefield Settlement, East Canje, Berbice man died and three others were injured after the driver of a Tacoma vehicle allegedly deliberately drove into a crowd of people near a wedding in the village around 1 am yesterday.
Dead is Somdatt Indal, also known as “Fats”, 51, of Lot 1178 Canefield Settlement, East Canje, Berbice. Injured are Dion Kistan, 11, a student of the Canje Secondary School and of Lot 23 Goed Bananen Land, East Canje, Berbice; Leon Reis, 26, of Lot 1143 East Canefield, East Canje, Berbice; and Daniel Sackichand, 21, of Adelphi Village, East Canje, Berbice.
As of yesterday afternoon, Kistan remained hospitalized at the New Amsterdam Public Hospital. He reportedly sustained one broken leg and major injuries to his other leg, and underwent emergency surgery yesterday morning.
The two other men were released from the hospital yesterday morning after they were treated for their injuries.
Commander of Region Six Shivpersaud Bacchus confirmed yesterday around 11.48 am that the suspected driver of the vehicle had turned himself over to the police in the presence of his attorney.
Based on information gathered by Stabroek News, the driver, a 36-year-old man, who is from the East Bank Berbice area, is a contractor in the region.
Reports said that some of the injured persons were at a wedding in Canefield Settlement, East Canje, Berbice. Stabroek News was told that a young man there became involved in an argument with several others and decided to telephone his cousin, who arrived in his Tacoma vehicle.
Eyewitnesses said that the vehicle bore the sign N&S Contracting.
After the driver also reportedly got involved in the argument, some people attempted to block his vehicle; he then drove into a crowd hitting people who had not been involved in the argument.
This publication was told that Indal, who was standing at a distance, was first struck and sustained major injuries to his head.
Kistan, who was visiting Canefield to spend the weekend with his grandmother, was riding through the area with his uncle when they were struck down.
Both Indal and Kistan were flung in the air and landed on the road surface as a result of the impact, while the two other injured men were pitched into a nearby drain.
The driver then fled the scene leaving the deceased and injured lying on the roadway. His escape was caught on camera by persons at the location.
The injured persons were picked up by relatives and taken to the New Amsterdam Public Hospital; Indal was pronounced dead on arrival.
‘He drive on power’
Reis, after being released from the hospital, told Stabroek News that he was still experiencing pain in his head and about his body. The young man said that he was at the wedding and that the driver of the vehicle was also there earlier but left.
After he was reportedly called by his relative, the driver got involved in an ongoing argument. “He and them boys – one a me cousin – had some argument,” Reis recounted. “And after the argument happen the guy with the black jeep… end up drive and hit and kill the big man pon spot and I went at the back of the man not too far and so come I end up knock… it knock me straight across me heart and stop me from breathing and the vehicle drive away.”
Reis added that if people were blocking his vehicle the driver could have easily used another street but “he drive on power.”
The eyewitness continued, “The last thing I could recall is that the vehicle drive on power. He didn’t slow down or do nothing and after I get knock I just start see dark and faint away.”
Meanwhile, Indal’s mother Danwanttie Ramnauth said could not believe that her son was killed in the incident. The elderly woman said, “He left home to go wedding house and he tell me bye, bye, he gone and then I sleep and later me get a phone call that somebody knock he down.”
The woman, who suffers from a heart condition, said she was told that her son’s injured body was lying on the roadway for some time before he was picked up.
She is calling on the police to carry out a thorough investigation as she stressed that she wants justice for her son’s death.
Further, Kistan’s grandmother, Geeta, noted that the young man was at the location with an uncle. She said they were riding off when they were hit, adding that the bicycle they were on was completely damaged.
