Bus driver succumbs after Coldingen smash-up

Bus driver Navin Misir yesterday morning succumbed to the severe internal injuries he sustained after a truck ran into his vehicle on the Coldingen Public Road, East Coast Demerara on Thursday.

Misir, 37, of Enmore, died at the Georgetown Public Hospital just hours before he was due to undergo a surgery to amputate both of his legs due to severe injuries he sustained from his waist down.

A post-mortem examination performed by government pathologist Dr Nehaul Singh yesterday confirmed that Misir died from internal bleeding and incised wounds to his upper chest. He had been pinned in the mangled bus after the accident.

A police source related to Stabroek News yesterday that the driver of the truck, who remains in police custody, could make his first court appearance on Monday.

Navin Misir
Navin Misir

Misir’s wife, Amanda Ramsaywack, said that she and other members of his family learned of his death when they travelled to Georgetown to visit him at about 5:30 am yesterday morning.

Ramsaywack said that since her husband was hospitalised, she only managed to speak to him for two minutes. “I went into his room and saw him on the bed. I held his hand and told that I was there for him and that everything would be okay,” she recalled.

The man’s mother, Fazeela Hussain, said that she had seen her son just hours before the accident, after he dropped off one of his cousins and was headed back to Georgetown for another trip. “He bring curry and I told him when he come back I will send lunch for him but he never come back. Ow meh son Navin, he gon so sudden, me ain’t even get to talk to he good before he dead,” the shaken mother cried.
Misir was remembered as a devoted husband who always had his family as his number one priority.

After the accident 13 persons (and not 11 as was reported in yesterday’s edition), including the driver, were rushed to the Georgetown Hospital on Thursday morning after the container truck, which was reportedly speeding, collided with the minibus, after it had stopped to pick up a passenger.

Still hospitalised are the bus conductor, Shaveek Kadir, 27, of Enmore; Shafeeza Ali, 63, also of Enmore; Sherry Badrinauth, 21; Kumarie Jainarine; Gaitree Basdeo, 42; her niece, Ashapreya Balsarran, 2; Jean Harditwar, 33, also of Enmore; Vickram Hansraj; Lisa Narine; Rhonda Eastman; Ramrattie Persaud; Rachael Rambularie; and Surujonie Basdeo.