A police constable on duty was killed yesterday morning when his head was crushed by a sand truck while he was assisting in making preparations for the ‘Soca on the Beach’ show at the new Hits and Jams Water World located at Providence, East Bank Demerara (EBD).
Dead is Police Constable 22349 Edson Williams, 19, of Lot 113 Number 53 Village, Berbice, who was attached to the Brickdam Police Station, Enquiries Office.
According to a police press release, about 9.45 am yesterday, Constable Williams was putting down road barriers along the Providence Access Road, EBD, for an activity held yesterday when he was struck down and run over by a motor Canter, the driver of which had failed to comply with signals to reduce speed. Constable Williams was pronounced dead on arrival at the Georgetown Public Hospital (GPH) while the driver of the motor vehicle is in police custody assisting with the investigations.
Speaking to this newspaper yesterday, Joy Williams, aunt of the dead father of one, related that she received a call informing her of the accident and immediately travelled to the city from Berbice. Joy Williams said she visited the scene of the accident, where she was informed by other police officers as to how her nephew met his demise. The woman said, although she wasn’t present when the accident occurred, she was told that Edson was in the process of placing barricades on the access road to the Hits and Jams Water World when the truck, which was laden with sand and was heading to a nearby construction site, struck him down. This was likely because the driver realised that the road was about to be closed to incoming traffic and was hurrying to make his way through.
Joy Williams said she was told that the truck hit Edson who was standing by the barricades and after he fell to the ground the wheels ran over his head. “People that was around was shouting and telling him, you hit somebody, you hit somebody but like he couldn’t believe,” the policeman’s aunt said.
When this newspaper arrived on the scene, it was already cleared and marked but blood stains were visible on the road, while other police officers were seen carrying out their normal duties.
According to his aunt, the last time Edson was seem alive by his relatives was one week ago when he had visited home. He has been a member of the Guyana Police Force for just over one year and was described as a very quiet and easy-going person by relatives.
