Two persons died yesterday afternoon and three others including a baby were injured when a speeding car on its way to Linden toppled off a bridge at Kara Kara on the Soesdyke-Linden Highway, turning what should have been a family day of fun into mourning.
Dead are Kellian Torres, 42, and Claudia Prince, 62, both of 33 Ogle, East Coast Demerara. Injured are Gopinauth Perreira, 28, of East La Penitence who was the driver of the vehicle, Godfrey Telford, 56, of West Ruimveldt, one-year-old Yonla Torres and Gailla Torres, 17, both daughters of Kellian. All of the injured persons as well as the dead were taken to the Linden Hospital Complex.
Yesterday’s deadly crash came amidst mounting road fatalities and a passionate appeal from the authorities for road users, especially drivers, to ‘slow down’. Ten persons died in an accident three weeks ago in Linden and another six perished at Liliendaal days after when a car ran into a concrete wall.
Speaking to Stabroek News yesterday at the accident scene Godfrey Telford, the owner of the vehicle, HB 2182, said Perreira, his mechanic and the other occupants were heading to the races at the South Dakota Circuit but after realizing it was too late diverted to Linden instead. Telford said that Linden was chosen as the alternative destination by some of the occupants who said that they had never visited the town. Telford recounted that they were going down the Kara Kara Hill and while crossing a bridge, he felt the car shaking. According to him he immediately told the driver to stop but before he could have reacted the car toppled off the bridge and landed in a creek.
He said when the car landed he heard one-year-old Yonla crying and he quickly climbed through the window and rescued the child who was stuck in mud. The car has been damaged beyond repair.
Meanwhile, the driver of another car told this newspaper that he was travelling in the opposite direction when the said car sped past him at a fast rate.
The man who did not give his name said that he had reached some distance away from the vehicle, when a pedal cyclist stopped him and directed his attention backwards.
The man said when he looked back he saw a small cloud of dust and the vehicle reeling. He said he rushed to the scene, but when he got there one person had already died.
Road fatalities have climbed to over 180 for the year so far and the police have outlined a raft of measures to curb traffic lawlessness. (Cathy Wilson)
