A family of Canefield Settlement, East Canje Berbice is now grieving the death of their loved one, Glen McLeod, who succumbed at the New Amsterdam Public Hospital yesterday morning after he was struck by a drunk driver along the Canje Bridge on Monday evening.
McLeod, 61, a security guard attached to the New Amsterdam Technical Institute and of Lot 913 New Area Canefield Settlement, East Canje Berbice, was pushing his bicycle over the Canje Bridge heading to work located less than a minute from the bridge, when he was struck by the speeding car which was being driven by a drunk driver.
It is reported that the driver, 25, of Lot 67 Belmont, Mahaica, East Coast Demerara was driving motor car PWW 511 at the time of the accident with a passenger of Lot 60 Archer Street, Number 2 Village, East Canje, Berbice.
The motor car is owned by Teelokie Deolall of Lot 27, Number 2 Village, East Canje, Berbice.
According to a report from the police, initial investigations revealed that motor car, PWW 511 was proceeding west along the northern drive lane at a fast rate when the driver lost control and collided with McLeod, who was walking and pushing his cycle over the bridge in the said direction.
As a result of the impact, McLeod was flung into the air then onto the road resulting in him sustaining injuries, while the car then collided with the southern rail of the bridge and turned sideways before coming to halt.
McLeod, the driver and the passenger were rushed to the New Amsterdam Public Hospital.
Stabroek News was told that McLeod was admitted while the driver and occupant were treated for minor injuries.
The police’s report yesterday said that Mc Leod had sustained a fractured left foot. However, Mc Leod succumbed to his injuries just around 8.15 am yesterday.
Stabroek News was told that two breathalyzer tests were carried out on the driver which read 54 and 49 BAC respectively. After receiving medical attention, he was placed into custody following the accident.
State of shock
McLeod’s wife, Nandranie McLeod, 54, yesterday told Stabroek News that she was in a state of shock as she could not believe that her husband had succumbed to the injuries sustained.
She explained, that she received a call just around 10.20 pm on Monday that her husband was struck on the bridge. She said she and her children immediately rushed to the hospital where she saw her husband lying on a stretcher with an injury to his head and to his leg.
“I talk to he and ask he what happen and he say like them cars did racing and the one knock him”, she relayed.
According to the woman, the medical professionals at the regional institution were focused on her husband’s leg injury and not his head which now puzzles her. “Them say them looking after the foot and them admit he and he head had an injury but them ain’t do none X ray for it and so and like he had internal bleeding but them ain’t tell me nothing about that.”
The devastated woman said, that she returned to the hospital after 6 am yesterday to visit her husband where she fed him water and tea “but he did crying out for pain.”
She said, she then left for a bit to go to purchase some items for him and when she returned around 8 am, she was told that she couldn’t enter the ward as doctors were with the patients at that time.
However, shortly after this she was informed that her husband had passed away. “If them did focus lil bit on his head they could a know and I don’t know why they didn’t tell me anything… They could a transfer him to Georgetown Hospital or tell me let me see what me can do”, the distraught woman said yesterday.
McLeod is well known in his community as a kind and humble person.
In August, 2020, he had spoken to the Stabroek News following the closure of the Rose Hall Estate where he was employed for over 22 years before being let go.
As a father of seven he had stated, “GuySuCo gave me a wife, gave me a home, and gave me a reason to live.”
After the closure the man secured employment elsewhere and yesterday his wife noted that he was working tirelessly to pay off their mortgage which now falls on her.
She described her husband as a hard worker and stressed repeatedly that she cannot come to grips with the idea that he is no longer with her.
