-latest in series of family woes

An accident at the junction of Camp and Lamaha streets on Thursday night has left one man dead and two others nursing wounds at the Georgetown Public Hospital (GPH); one in a critical state in the intensive care unit (ICU), and the other in the male open ward.

Steve Abel

Dead is Steve Abel, 40, of 85 Melanie Damishana, East Coast Demerara. Meanwhile, Luke Fordyce, 18, of 67 South Sophia and 20-year-old Javon Rocke of Melanie Damishana have been admitted to the ICU and the male open ward respectively.

When Stabroek News visited the grief-stricken relatives of Abel yesterday they said they were in disbelief upon receiving news of his demise. “Ow, if yuh see how he get bad damage, he hand and foot break up, he chest smash up, he skull fracture and he neck like it break; he really get damage up,” his sister Denise Abel lamented.

According to Abel’s siblings, the foreign currency dealer was on his way home from plying his daily trade on America Street when the motorcycle he was riding collided with a minibus.

The relatives said that they could not say who was at fault or what caused the accident and it remains unclear whether any person or persons have been taken into police custody in relation to the accident.

Fordyce who is Abel’s cousin was the pillion rider on the motorcycle at the time of the accident.
Abel’s brother Toney Abel with whom this newspaper spoke said that the father of two was full of life and anxiously awaiting the birth of his third child.
According to the dead man’s sister, the accident occurred at about 11:00 pm. When the family rushed to the hospital, Abel was in the emergency room being attended to by doctors. He died at approximately 1:30 am yesterday while still being attended to by doctors. The man’s pregnant reputed wife was visibly overcome with grief and speechless yesterday.

An inconsolable relative related that the family had suffered quite a number of deaths and trying times in the past year.
She explained that Steve died exactly one year after his father and one month after an aunt. She lamented also, that earlier this year, a nephew was stabbed and had to be hospitalised for some time.

“And as if this wasn’t enough,” the woman said that their family members in Linden lost their home to a mid-morning fire which gutted their Silvertown, Wismar house on Thursday; leaving ten homeless.

Meanwhile when Stabroek News visited Javon Rocke in the male open ward he was heavily bandaged from his neck up. The injured Rocke who was in pain still managed to be what relatives said was his usual jovial self.

The young man who was a passenger of the minibus said that his memory of the incident is very blurry adding that all he remembers clearly is that the bus was speeding and slammed into two motorbikes.

According to Javon’s mother, Denise Rocke and aunt Roxanne Blackette with whom Stabroek News spoke, the driver was trying to jump one of the traffic lights when he collided with the motorcycles. It is unclear whether the driver had the stoplight or if he was trying to catch the amber or green lights before they changed, Blackette said.

Javon who was surrounded by his fiancée and other relatives said that he is optimistic that he will have a speedy recovery. He did say however that he remains worried about the sight in the left eye that suffered lacerations as a result of pieces of glass getting into it.

Meanwhile, a press release from the GPH said that at 23:47 hours on Thursday; Abel, Fordyce, Rocke and 48-year-old Hillary Henry of 43 Haslington, East Cost Demerara were brought to the accident and emergency unit following an accident involving a route 44 minibus and two motorcycles at the junction of Camp and Lamaha streets.

The release added that Abel sustained injuries to his neck, head and feet. Fordyce suffered injuries to his neck, face, head and left foot; while Rocke suffered injuries to his face and about his body. Henry who sustained chest injuries was treated and sent away.