Destitute man dragged to death by car

A car said to be speeding on the Vreed-en-Hoop Public Road last night struck down and dragged a destitute man several feet away where he subsequently died.

The accident occurred on the Vreed-en-Hoop Public Road around 8 PM.

While the name of the accident victim is unknown he is of East Indian descent and appears to be in his late 70s. Persons in the area said that they did not know the man but would often see him walking the streets in a drunken state. Some said he lived in a nearby shed but could not give his name.

When Stabroek News arrived the dead man was still under the car and the marks from where he was dragged were still evident on the road. Police were at the scene taking statements from eyewitnesses and gathering evidence.

Eyewitnesses informed that the car was travelling east along the Vreed-en Hoop Public Road and the man was walking west on the same side. They said it appears that he staggered into the path of the vehicle  and the driver applied his brakes too late. They said the driver exited and summoned the police on realizing that the man was in a critical condition.

One female witness who did not wish to be named said “I was walking with my son and saw the old man walk as if he going and cross or something or just stagger and next thing Cla dang! ….And he get pull lil and then the driver came out and start checking he but it seem he dead from the time he hit the ground.”

Police have since detained the driver at the Vreed-en-Hoop station.