-car was reportedly speeding
A New Amsterdam resident was killed in an accident on Thursday night that has also left his friend nursing injuries.

Damine Drepaul, age 23, was travelling in a car at the time with his friend, Vimaul Singh when the accident occurred. Drepaul was pronounced dead on arrival at the New Amsterdam hospital while Singh was admitted as a patient.

Singh, who was driving the car, said he had no recollection of what happened and declined to say anything further when approached yesterday.

The accident occurred just before 6 pm at Number 19 Village, Corentyne while the two were travelling back to New Amsterdam. They had left New Amsterdam earlier in the day to make a purchase in the area.

Damine Drepaul

There are reports that the two were racing at the time and that the vehicle lost control around a dangerous turn. Eyewitnesses said that the car spun a few times before turning turtle and Drepaul was thrown out. He landed on the road a short distance away.

Singh suffered injuries but was conscious when persons rushed to assist them. The two were rushed to the hospital and calls were placed to the families.

Paul David, the father of the dead man, told Stabroek News yesterday that he spoke with his son only an hour before the accident when Drepaul called. He said that the details of the accident have not been relayed to him clearly.

David said he rushed down to the hospital, but was too overcome with grief to view the remains of his son. He said that Drepaul was a good young man with “a good future ahead”. He related how his son was passionately involved in the church and that he had considered studying theology.

The father said that he was barred from visiting Singh at the hospital by relatives of the injured man. He was confused by the move saying that he held no ill-will towards the young man since he was like a son to him.

“I have no hard feelings towards him and I hope he knows that he is like a son to me”, David said.

Drepaul is survived by his parents, his wife Michelle Kaiwum and two daughters.