A pedal cyclist was killed last evening after he was struck by a car on the public road at Beehive, East Coast Demerara, while returning home from completing an errand at a nearby shop.
Dead is 56-year-old fisherman Junior Richmond of Lot 374 Beehive North, East Coast Demerara. The police said the incident also involved motorcar PAE 7077 owned and driven by a 28-year-old man of ‘C’ Field Sophia Georgetown, who is a corporal in the Guyana Defence Force.
The police said their investigation disclosed that around 19:00 hrs on Sunday, the driver of the car was speeding west along the public road at Beehive. He told the police that he saw Richmond, who was also proceeding in the same direction, swerve in front of him and he pulled away to avoid a collision, but the right-side rear of his vehicle collided with the cycle.
As a result of the collision, Richmond was flung into a nearby trench and sustained injuries to his body. The driver lost control of his vehicle and also ended up in the trench.
Richmond was subsequently picked up by EMTs in an unconscious condition and taken to the Mahaicony Cottage Hospital where he was pronounced dead on arrival.
A close neighbour of the deceased, Kenny Bristol of 360 Beehive told the Stabroek News that Richmond was returning home after purchasing items from a nearby shop.
Bristol recalled that he was in the street celebrating Diwali with his family when he heard a squealing sound of a motor vehicle and turned around immediately. He said he saw a motor vehicle “fly” past his street.
Bristol said he did not immediately know that Richmond was in the trench until he heard people say, “someone in the trench”. He said he quickly removed his cultural attire and pulled his neighbour from the trench. He said that Richmond “threw up” when he was pulled from the trench.
Bristol added that the driver didn’t even say that he had hit someone when asked. He also didn’t state that someone was in the trench.
The police said that Richmond’s body was later taken to the Memorial Gardens Funeral Home, where it awaits a post-mortem examination.
The car and cycle were both lodged to be examined by a licensing and certifying officer. The driver is said to be in police custody as the investigation continues.
