A 40-year-old clothes vendor lost his life during the wee hours of yesterday morning after he was struck down along the Good Hope Public Road, on the East Coast of Demerara (ECD).
Dead is Cyon Saunders, of Lot 101 Melanie, ECD, who died on the spot as his head was crushed after he was run over.
Traffic Chief Linden Isles said the accident occurred around 4.20 am.
Mohan Dass, 28, the driver of the truck, GRR 6081, which is owned by the China Railway First Group Guyana Inc, reportedly fled the scene and was subsequently apprehended at his home at Little Diamond, East Bank Demerara. Dass has claimed that there was another driver, who ran over Saunders after he struck him.
Sunday Stabroek was informed that police have so far determined from their investigation that the truck was proceeding east along the northern carriageway of the public road when the accident occurred.
Dass reportedly told that police that he was in the vicinity of KSM Investments when he noticed Saunders ahead, walking east along the northern edge of the road.
As he approached, Dass alleged that Saunders walked into the path of the truck. He said he immediately applied brakes but due to the short distance the front of the vehicle still came into contact with Saunders.
As a result of the impact, Saunders fell to the ground and was run over, resulting in his head being crushed.
At the scene of the accident yesterday, Dass told Sunday Stabroek that when he exited his truck, the dead man was lying on the roadway and his head was crushed.
However, Dass explained that based on what an eyewitness related to him, a pick-up, which was proceeding behind his truck, allegedly ran over Saunders after he was struck down by Dass. “The eyewitness seh that a pick-up run over he [Saunders] and the driver drive away,” Dass said.
Malcolm Scarville, Saunders’ step-father, told this newspaper that the family last saw the man on Friday, when he visited their home and spent all day with his mother.
Saunders subsequently left for home.
Scarville explained that the family only learnt of the accident yesterday afternoon, when the police contacted one of Saunders’ brothers and informed him of his death.
He said he was told that the police managed to contact the family via Saunders’ cell phone, which was found at the scene. “Like the phone did run down and is charge they charge it and they start calling up people,” Scarville added.
He said Saunders’ mother, Barbara, and other relatives immediately went to the Lyken Funeral Home where they positively identified the man’s remains.
Just a little over a month ago, a nursery school head teacher, Carlotta James, lost her life after she was involved in a vehicular accident on the same road.
James, called ‘Abigail,’ 44, who was the head teacher of Dorcas Club Nursery School, at Plaisance, and of Lot 27 Middle Walk, Buxton, was driving PHH 67, proceeding east along the northern side of the public road behind a truck, GPP 143. The driver of that truck had reportedly told police that he slowed down and indicated that he was turning south across the road when James crashed into the rear of his vehicle. It is unclear whether he faced any charges after the fatal accident.
