UG student succumbs after Mahaicony accident

Days after being seriously injured in an accident at Mahaicony, a final year University of Guyana (UG) student succumbed early yesterday morning at the Georgetown Public Hospital (GPH).

Dead is Timothy Barnwell, of Nelson Street, Mocha, East Bank Demerara, who was a final year electrical engineering student.

Barnwell celebrated his 29th birthday last Thursday.

While the details surrounding the accident are unclear, Stabroek News was told that Barnwell was heading to Georgetown to join his family for his birthday when he was involved in the accident at around 5am on Thursday at the Mahaicony Public Road, East Coast Demerara.

Timothy Barnwell
Timothy Barnwell

Anna Lou Barnwell, his mother, said that she was informed that her son was involved in an accident when she called his cellphone to wish him happy birthday on his special day. However, the call was answered by another individual, who related the news of his accident to her.

The woman said the person informed her that Barnwell was in a critical condition at the Mahaicony Cottage Hospital and awaiting transport to the GPH. As a result, she immediately left for the GPH, where she found her son in an unconscious state.

After visiting the scene yesterday, she learned that it was a villager who lives in close proximity to where the accident occurred that rendered assistance by rushing her son to the hospital.

According to Anna, the man heard a loud impact and rushed to see what was transpiring. Upon arriving at the scene, the man discovered that a car, which was driven by Barnwell, had smashed into an electrical pole. He removed Barnwell from the wreck and took him to the nearby hospital.

A CT scan later revealed that Barnwell had a fractured skull, a swollen brain, and brain haemorrhaging as a result of the accident.

Barnwell, who was in the process of completing his studies, was also planning to wed next year.