Four persons died following the horrific smash-up at Craig, East Bank Demerara on Monday night.
Three of the four who died are from Charity in Region Two and had visited the city to see cricket.
Those who died are Eric Christopher Thomas, 60; his wife Annette Williams, a 56 year-old vendor of Charity Market; and their daughter Lynette Chappelle, 26; and Ivette Domingo, the wife of the driver of the car. Two children, age 7 and 13, suffered injuries.
According to the police, the fatal accident occurred at about 9 pm on Monday and involved motor lorry #GYY 9560, owned by Dexter Bess of Nelson Street, Mocha, East Bank Demerara, and driven at the time by Tyrese Bess, a 21-year-old of the same address, and motor car, PPP 3034, owned and driven by Stanley La Cruz, a 57-year-old resident of Mon Repos Pasture, East Coast Demerara. The police enquiries disclosed that PPP 3034 was proceeding south on the eastern carriageway of the East Bank highway.
It is alleged that La Cruz made a U-Turn from the eastern carriageway onto the western driving lane and into the path of the lorry, which was proceeding north on the western carriageway, resulting in a collision. According to the police, Thomas and Williams died on the spot. Chappelle died while receiving medical attention at the Diamond Diagnostic Centre and Domingo also succumbed while receiving treatment. Their bodies are at the Memorial Gardens Funeral Home awaiting post-mortem examinations. Both drivers were administered breathalyzer tests which returned negative. They are both in custody.
Stabroek News has learnt that the Charity victims lived in close proximity to each other. Lynette Chapelle lived with her son opposite her mother, Annette Williams and father, Eric Christopher Thomas. Neighbours said Chappelle’s home was padlocked since Thursday.
“We does see her around with her son… she was a nice person” a neighbour told Stabroek News.
Williams was a vendor and last sold on Thursday. “She (Williams) does come early and sell, we know she as a quiet person, she does try earn a living, very sorry for her,” Marie Narine, a vendor, said. The accident has plunged the Charity community into deep mourning. Domingo of Mon Repos, a mother of four children, recently returned from Venezuela.
The police said that a statement was provided by an eyewitness and that the lorry and car are lodged at the police station while both drivers are currently in custody assisting with investigations. The scene was visited by Inspector Ramdas, Sergeant Muhammad and other ranks at about 9. 20 pm and statements and measurements were taken.
Three other persons died in separate accidents over the weekend. The police say that Carlton Maltay died on Monday morning after an accident on the Cotton Tree Public Road, West Berbice.
On Sunday at around 2.30 am, Ishmael Cort was injured in an accident on the Little Diamond Public Road, East Bank Demerara. He was taken to the Diamond Hospital and then to the Georgetown Public Hospital where he succumbed to his injuries.
On Sunday evening at about 7.50 pm, Shamar Charles, a 20-year-old resident of Swan died in a hit and run accident.
