A 38-year-old truck driver was admitted to the Georgetown Public Hospital (GPH) last evening in an unconscious state following a head-on collision between his vehicle and another in the vicinity of the Caricom Secretariat at Turkeyen.

Public-spirited citizens removing Karan Balbad from his truck last evening.

Karan Balbad of 1174 Diamond Housing Scheme, East Bank Demerara, was rushed to the hospital by his relatives and public-spirited citizens, nursing several injuries including a broken right foot and right hand as well as an injury close to his spine. The man’s wife told Stabroek News at the GPH that her husband had been returning to the city after completing a business transaction at Mon Repos when the accident occurred.

According to an eyewitness, who was in a minibus around 7.30 last evening heading west along the embankment in the vicinity of the Caricom Headquarters, he noticed a yellow Canter truck travelling at a fast rate as it was overtaking the minibus he was in. He said soon after he heard what sounded like a blowout, followed by shards of glass entering the minibus.

The still nervous man said that when the bus stopped he noticed the yellow Canter truck, GDD 6522, in the middle of the road while a similar type vehicle, blue in colour, was in a canal at the side of the road.

He said the accident reduced traffic along the roadway to a crawl as public-spirited citizens went to the assistance of the driver who was trapped inside the yellow vehicle. He said the driver of the other vehicle limped extricated himself.  He reportedly sought treatment for his injuries at a private hospital.

Another eyewitness recounted that the two vehicles were heading in the opposite directions when they collided, noting that the collision occurred on the northern carriageway along the embankment.

When Balbad arrived at the hospital last evening, he was in an unconscious state. His relatives stated that injured man was often warned about consuming alcohol whenever he had to drive but could not say if he had consumed any last evening.

Meanwhile ,in an unrelated incident, two teens who were on their way to church yesterday afternoon escaped with minor injuries after they were struck down while riding a bicycle across the Mon Repos Public road.

The boys, 14-year-old Dharampaul Ramlall and his 11-year-old friend Shazad Bacchus told Stabroek News that they were on their way to church when a motorcycle which was heading east along the public road hit the back wheel of the bicycle they were riding. The owner of the motorcycle reportedly rode away from the scene of the accident and reported the incident to the Beterverwagting Police station.

The boys sustained minor injuries and their mothers expressed thanks to the Almighty, whom they noted, saved their sons’ lives.