By Iana Seales
Hours after celebrating his 35th birthday Pouderoyen businessman, Dirk Pollard reportedly fell asleep at the wheel of his car and died after crashing into two parked vehicles at Eccles, East Bank Demerara.
Pollard was said to have been tired after celebrating with friends but had still decided to drive to the city to make a purchase early yesterday morning. He was on his way to Georgetown when the accident occurred. He died within minutes of the crash, according to reports.
George Critchlow, who was travelling in the car with Pollard, sustained minor injuries and was treated at the Georgetown Public Hospital and sent away. Reports are that Critchlow had also dozed off and only awakened when Pollard shouted, “Oh damn”, as the car was inches from slamming into the parked vehicles.
Relatives who turned up at the scene shortly after the accident recounted that it was “bloody and painful to witness”, and with one person relating that a part of Pollard’s head was smashed in.
Stabroek News visited Pollard’s home at Lot 6 Middle Street, Pouderoyen yesterday and found his family in tears. Friends who had hours earlier parted ways with the businessman and were later greeted with the tragic news, congregated at his home to express shock.
“Who could believe this boy? Is only last night I see Dirk and we had a good time. This is really, really shocking”, a friend lamented.
Pollard’s sister Samantha Hunte related that her family was thrown into a state of heavy mourning at the news. Since they live a few miles away from where the accident happened, she said, many of them were on the scene. She said that Pollard had left home a little after 5 am for Bourda Market where he usually purchased greens.
During the week, a vehicle would pick Pollard up and transport him to the market to make his daily purchases at Bourda. However, the driver was unavailable on Saturdays. She said Pollard would make the trip accompanied by a friend every Saturday morning.
“Dirk left with Critchlow and usually we would ask Critchlow to drive. My brother wife don’t like it when he drive and if he decide to drive then she would insist that someone go with him,” Hunte said.
Relating what she was told of the accident, she said, that when the two men left Pouderoyen they both were a little tired from the night before. However, as Pollard drove to the city he and Critchlow were chatting. She said Critchlow recalled a break in the conversation, during which time he dozed off.
Pollard apparently also dozed off around the same time and lost control of the car. He reportedly slammed into two parked cars at an auto supplies store at Eccles, which resulted in his car toppling over. Pollard was said to have died within minutes of the impact.
Critchlow was conscious after the accident and immediately alerted Pollard’s family. Though both men were wearing their seatbelts at the time, Pollard suffered massive injuries when the car crashed into the parked vehicles and subsequently when it toppled over.
Persons at the scene assisted in getting Critchlow to the hospital. Hunte recalled that the sight of her brother lying dead in the car made her hysterical. She said nothing seemed to make sense at the time.
According to the sister, it was only two years ago that their father passed and the family was left grieving for months. She said now they have to cope with Pollard’s death, adding that it will be hard on all of them.
Pollard’s wife who was also at the scene was too distraught to speak when this newspaper visited the home. The woman had a blank look on her face as persons around comforted her. Pollard was remembered as a loving father and friend who would go out of his way to give what he had if someone was in need.
Pollard, who operated a shop, and also worked as a mason, is survived by his wife, two children, his mother and six siblings.
