Corentyne man dies after struck by car

An employee of the Guyana Sugar Corporation (GuySuCo) lost his life after being hit by a car on the Number 19 village public road, Corentyne, yesterday.

Dead is Vickram Ramlakhan, 26, of Number 11 village, Corentyne. He was a bond operator at GuySuCo’s Albion estate. The accident also left a woman injured. She remains hospitalised at the New Amsterdam public hospital. The woman was a passenger in the car that was involved in the accident and sustained cuts about her body.

Police in a statement said that the accident occurred at about 6:40 am yesterday. Investigations revealed that Ramlakhan was struck down by a car while standing on the roadway. He was taken to the New Amsterdam Hospital where he was pronounced dead on arrival, the police said. The 19-year-old driver of the car is in police custody assisting with the investigations.

Residents and eyewitnesses at the scene told reporters that the driver of the car, PRR 9655,

This composite photo shows the car as it was being taken out of the trench.
This composite photo shows the car as it was being taken out of the trench.

was speeding when the incident occurred. Stabroek News was told that the young man was behind another vehicle and was attempting to pass it but could not do so as a bus was approaching on the right lane. The driver then attempted to overtake the vehicle on the inside – the left side.

At that point, he apparently saw a car parked on the roadway and realised that he could not have passed and swerved from the parked car and struck down Ramlakhan. Stabroek News learnt from eyewitnesses that when the man was struck down, he was standing on the road reserve waiting on a taxi to take him to work. Ramlakhan was flung into the air and fell approximately 15 feet away from the point of impact, residents said. The car reportedly plunged into a nearby canal after hitting him.

According to reports, the driver was heading to the Canawaima ferry stelling in Moleson Creek to drop off passengers who were heading to Suriname. Stabroek News learnt that the driver said that he could not have done anything to prevent the death of the young man. Residents reported that the driver said that if he had done anything else, there would have been a worse accident.

Meanwhile, Ramlakhan’s wife Kavita, 23, recalled that her husband left home at around 6am for work. Not long after, she said, she heard an impact but did not think that Ramlakhan was involved. She stated that as she made her way to the scene, she heard whispers but did not pay attention until she was told by relatives that her husband was involved in the accident and had been rushed to the hospital.

The grieving woman recounted that she immediately left the scene and went to the hospital and was greeted with the news that her husband had succumbed. According to relatives, Ramlakhan sustained major head injuries.

The couple was married for five years and Ramlakhan worked at the Albion estate for approximately eight years. He was described as a jovial and friendly person. He leaves to mourn his wife, parents and three siblings along with other relatives and friends.

Police investigations are ongoing.