Alberttown woman, 75, fatally hit by police driver

An elderly woman died on Wednesday after she was struck down by a vehicle being driven by a police constable.

Dead is Eleian Harris, of Lot 17 First Street, Alberttown, who died while receiving treatment at the Georgetown Public Hospital. Police have said the constable, who was not authorized to drive any police force vehicle, is under close arrest and is assisting with the investigation.

The accident occurred around 4: 20pm in the vicinity of Smyth and Princes Streets, Georgetown, police said. According to a police release, investigations revealed that motor vehicle PJJ 3478, owned by the Guyana Police Force and driven by a Police Constable, was proceeding along Smyth Street, when it is alleged that the driver failed to stop at the intersection and collided with motor vehicle, PJJ 8888, and then struck the pedestrian who was standing on the eastern side of the road.

The release also stated that the woman was taken to the hospital where she succumbed while receiving medical treatment.

When Stabroek News visited the deceased’s residence late yesterday evening, her tenant Yonnette (only name given) related that Harris would normally leave her home early in the morning and return late at night. She added that the old woman, who was a friendly person, lived alone.

She explained that she was informed that Harris had been involved in an accident from another neighbour. “The neighbour called my husband and told him that Eleian went in an accident and my husband went to the GPH,” she said.

When her husband arrived at the hospital, he was informed that Harris had died while in the operating theatre.

An effort was made to contact the woman’s family, which resides overseas, but with no success.