Crop extension officer dies in highway crash

A Crop Extension Officer attached to the National Agricultural Research and Extension Institute (NAREI) died after a vehicle she was travelling in toppled on the Soesdyke-Linden Highway in the vicinity of Bamia Creek yesterday.

Dead is 38-year-old Abeola Gomes of Long Creek, Linden Highway. Gomes was a passenger in CRV PTT 1325 driven by fellow extension officer Tyon Phillips when the vehicle hit a depression in the road and Phillips lost control.

Abeola Gomes
Abeola Gomes

Another extension officer who was in the vehicle, 23-year-old Latisha Lindore of Hauraruni ,Linden Highway is currently in a stable condition at the Linden Hospital Complex while Phillips, of Cultivation Block, Soesdyke/Linden, who suffered minor injuries, has been discharged and is in police custody.

According to information from the Police, at about 13:45 yesterday the vehicle was heading south along the eastern side of the Highway when the driver hit a depression in the road and lost control of the vehicle which toppled several times before coming to a halt.

Commander of E Division, Senior Superintendent Calvin Brutus explained to Stabroek News last evening that the section of the road has been the site of several accidents, three of which this year were fatal.

“There are two hills on that section of the Highway. If you are unfamiliar with the road when you come down the first hill you will hit the depression and most often persons lose control after that,” he said.

He noted that Police Constable Ishaan Caines, 26, of Coverden, East Bank Demerara, who was attached to the Mackenzie Police Station lost his life in the same spot in June while Rawle Adams, 45 years, of Mackenzie, Linden lost his life in May.