A detective stationed at the New Amsterdam Central Police Station was killed around 9.15 pm on Friday after he was tossed from a police vehicle during an accident.
George Bastiani of Little Africa, Corriverton, said to be in his 40s was travelling in the tray of a double-cab police pick-up, PHH 6515 at Palmyra, East Canje when a truck belonging to Guysuco allegedly drove into its path. The truck, which was heading in the opposite reportedly grazed the right side of the pick-up.
Bastiani was flung out of the vehicle and sustained injuries to his head and right-side ribcage area. He was rushed to the New Amsterdam Hospital but died while receiving treatment. Four other police officers who were seated in the cabin of the vehicle, escaped unhurt.
According to reports, the men were on their way home from a reception held in New Amsterdam for a retired officer when the accident occurred.
The man leaves to mourn his wife, Lana Bastiani, 34, and a seven-year-old son, George Jnr. Lana said she was expecting her husband to return home that night but she got the news of his death just after 11 pm. She travelled to New Amsterdam yesterday morning.
Meanwhile nine-year-old Mauricesa Monica Mitchell of Lichfield, West Coast Berbice was killed when she was struck down by a Nissan Sunny motorcar, PGG 2927, on Friday at around 1.45 pm.
This newspaper learnt that the car was travelling in the direction of Rosignol when Mauricesa who was walking on the road was hit from behind. She was rushed to the Fort Wellington Hospital but was pronounced dead on arrival.
Eyewitnesses claimed that the car had been speeding and it “flung the girl in the air and dropped her several feet away. The driver of the car picked her up and took her to the hospital.”
Her mother Dianne Semple said she was at a relative’s home where she works when she got the news that the girl was involved in an accident and that she was already taken to the hospital.
She said by the time she got to the institution she learnt that the girl was dead. According to Semple, the child was helping her with some work earlier and had left to take a bath and was returning when tragedy struck.
In tears, the woman said her daughter, a grade three student of Lichfield Primary School was a very brave and brilliant child. Mauricesa leaves to mourn her mother and five other siblings.
