The driver of a truck which caused a four-vehicle accident on the East Coast Public Road in the vicinity of Bachelor’s Adventure on Saturday is in police custody and could provide an early test of the recently assented to breathalyzer law.

John France

One of the victims of the accident, Parmanand Dass of Paradise, East Coast Demerara remains in critical condition in the Intensive Care Unit of the Georgetown Public Hospital.

Stabroek News visited the Female Surgical ward of the hospital yesterday and spoke to the man’s wife, Liloutie Dass, who was also a victim of the accident. The woman sustained a broken right foot as well several cuts and bruises to her body including to her head and shoulders. The woman’s daughter told this newspaper that her parents were returning from Berbice, where the couple went to conduct business, on Sunday when the accident occurred. Another relative told this newspaper that Parmanand sustained severe injuries to the right side of his abdomen.

According to reports, the accident which involved a truck, two buses and a car, occurred when the driver of the truck, who was reportedly under the influence of alcohol, slammed into the back of a route 44 Victoria-bound minibus proceeding east along the East Coast public road. It is unclear whether the police tested the breath of the driver for alcohol.

An eyewitness points to the spot where John France was sitting when he was struck by the car.

The minibus, which had some 11 passengers, had reportedly slowed down to pick up another. According to Parmanand’s relatives, the man and his wife had slowed down after noticing the truck hitting the Route 44 minibus proceeding in the opposite direction. Relatives were hoping for the best as they gathered at the bedside of the man’s wife yesterday.

A few other persons were taken to the public hospital on Saturday afternoon following the accident, however, checks by this newspaper to locate those persons at the GPHC came up empty handed. A hospital source told Stabroek News that the Parmanands had sustained the brunt of the accident as their vehicle was travelling in the opposite direction.

Broad Street
Meanwhile, the police are looking for the female unlicensed driver of a car which crashed into a group of persons at the corner of Ketley and Broad streets, Charlestown on Friday afternoon which caused the death of 57-year-old Henry Street, Charlestown resident, John France.

According to an eyewitness, the driver of the car lost control of the vehicle after turning into Ketley Street while proceeding west along Broad Street. When this newspaper visited the scene of the accident yesterday, one of the man’s friends told Stabroek News that he hopes the police find the young driver since more persons could have been seriously injured. He said France, aka Bird, and a group of friends would normally hang out on the spot where the man was struck down. He said France could not have done anything to save himself from being hit since he was sitting at the time and no one expected the car to plunge into their hangout spot.

Another passenger who was seated in the front seat of the car next to the driver, the eyewitness recalled, displayed what appeared to be an ’army badge’ and attempted to drive away with the car but was pursued by residents. It is unclear whether he was held by the police.

The car is in the compound of the Ruimveldt Police Station.