Bee Hive smash-up

The driver of the motor lorry in the Bee Hive smash-up, in which three persons were killed, was remanded yesterday after he was charged with three counts of causing death by dangerous driving.

Shameer Hassan Ali of Annandale, East Coast Demerara appeared at the Cove and John Magistrate’s Court before Magistrate Sherdel Isaacs.
He was not required to plead to the indictable charges of causing the death of Desmond Datterdeen, 40, Marisa Assaye, 26, and Mohammed Akbar Mohammed, 54, on Monday night.

The man’s lawyer Sandil Kissoon made an application for bail but police prosecutor Edmond Cooper objected.
Ali was the driver of motor lorry GGG 6513 which collided with Mahaica mini-bus, BJJ 1601 on the Bee Hive public road around 7.15 on Monday night. The lorry had reportedly swerved to avoid hitting some cattle on the road and crashed into the mini-bus coming from Georgetown with passengers who were minutes away from their homes and finally ended up in the trench.

The driver and owner of the bus, Desmond Datterdeen, died on the spot after his skull was smashed while school teacher Marisa Assaye and canteen operator Mohammed Akbar Mohammed reportedly died on their way to the hospital.

Thirteen other persons were reportedly injured and five of them are still at the Georgetown Public Hospital.

Rawle Wood, 25, of Goed Intent, Mahaica remains in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) while Julian Wilson, 34, of Belmont, Mahaica was only removed from the High Dependency Unit (HDU) yesterday afternoon.

Jacquelyn Wood and Tamika Hermonstine, both of Hand-en-Veldt, Mahaica and Abiola Seraphin of Cane Grove are still hospitalized.

The remanded driver has to return to court on May 6.