Drag racing motorcyclist dies in crash

A motorcyclist of New Amsterdam yesterday lost his life in a gruesome accident, which occurred in Sheet Anchor, East Canje, Berbice around 1.30 am.

Dead is Jarvis De Freitas, 28, a seaman of 5 Strand and Theatre Alley, New Amsterdam.

According to an eyewitness, De Freitas and his friends were drag racing on the East Canje public road, from since around 10 pm. The eyewitness said “it was the last race and the last ride he took” as tragedy struck.

Jarvis De Freitas

De Freitas must have lost control of his motorcycle and it flew over a trench, crashed into a fence and broke down a shed in the yard at the back of a Chinese restaurant.

The witness said persons rushed to the scene to render assistance. However, De Freitas was pronounced dead on arrival at the New Amsterdam Hospital.

Elizabeth Persaud, mother of the victim, related that she had received a call from her daughter-in-law, who told her that “Jarvy meet up with accident… whilst going I tell the father I hope is nothing bad or serious.”

The distraught mother added that she expected to see her son in the ward with bruises, instead she saw him in a pool of blood in the hospital mortuary. In tears, she added that when she visited the scene of the accident, she saw the entire fence of the Chinese restaurant damaged.

The mother lamented that the motorcycle did not belong to her son. She said the bike was left with Jarvis by one of his friends.

The mangled motorcycle, which Jarvis De Freitas (at right) was riding when he met his demise.

The mother added that her son was out drinking with his friends but she was told by the bartender that he was not drunk.

De Freitas’s mother-in-law Esther Baichoo said her daughter Pricilla Baichoo received the devastating news from a friend via telephone at minutes after one.

“When we arrived at the hospital we saw his friends crying… We asked what’s wrong but nobody answer,” she said. She added that the nurses took the family to the mortuary where she observed that he had sustained injuries on the left side of his forehead, which appeared to be deep, upper left arm and his jaw.

Baichoo said the last time her daughter spoke to her husband was on Wednesday morning.

Stabroek News understands that De Freitas was expected to pick up his visa and return to work yesterday morning.  He was described as a very quiet person.

Jarvis De Freitas leaves to mourn his wife Pricilla Baichoo, his 4-year-old daughter Melena De Freitas, his mother, brothers and sisters along with other relatives and friends.

A post-mortem examination is expected to be performed today.