Dangerous driving is what eyewitnesses are saying was occurring prior to a Route 45 minibus (Main Street/Lamaha/GPHC) slamming into the fence of the Alpha Hotel along the East Bank Public Road in Agricola resulting in 17 persons being rushed to the hospital. Eyewitnesses told Stabroek News that the bus was trying to avoid a car and smashed into the back of a Route 32 (Georgetown/Parika). The Route 45 bus bearing the number plates BRR 1955 was said to be travelling with a full complement of passengers and was heading back to town after picking persons up on the highway.
A total of 17 persons suffered injuries and were taken to Georgetown Public Hospital a little after 19:00hrs. Some of the injured
were taken to the hospital by ambulance while others were shuttled by private vehicles which stopped to lend assistance.
The injured persons were Althea Bourne, 31; Lily Park,30; Asif Juman,21; Shaune Bourne,71; Lorson De Jonge,24; Cynilla Bourne,10; Kevin Granderson; Echenaya Bourne,3; Kaddeen De Jonge,3; Zahid Ali,25; Montelle Lawrence,18; Wynol Park,34; Romain Hinds; Trimelle De Jonge,24; Rocky Moore,44; Mickesha Moore,1; Kenwin Isaacs,18; Dhaney-Ann Abrams,15 and another person whose name was only given as De Santos.
Stabroek News was made to understand that the Route 45 bus was driving dangerously and police had tried to pull the vehicle over at Providence but were not successful.
Stabroek News spoke to one of the persons involved in the accident who was awaiting medical attention for a large gouge in his left shoulder. He said that the bus was filled with people who were returning from the creek. He noted that he was unsure of what really happened, but did admit that the bus was travelling over the speed limit.
Later in the evening amidst the confusion as persons were leaving GPHC after being checked, a child was placed back into the ambulance as she was awaiting x-rays for possible head injuries. A relative of the little girl was overcome with emotion. The child’s mother was also awaiting treatment. She was sitting in a wheelchair and unable to move due to pain. Moments later another toddler was also placed back in the ambulance.
