A 64-year-old watchman succumbed in a hospital early yesterday morning, less than a day after he was hit by a truck while crossing the Plaisance Public Road, East Coast Demerara.
Dead is Watcliffe Charles, called “Cliff,” a father of four of Lot 9 Better Hope North, East Coast Demerara.
The accident occurred around 9.15 am on Friday as Charles, who was riding his bicycle, was returning home after dropping off his granddaughter at the Plaisance Primary school.
Charles was picked up in an unconscious state and taken to the Georgetown Public Hospital, where he died around 2.10 am yesterday while receiving medical attention. He sustained mainly head injuries, a fractured neck and broken ribs.
The driver of the truck was taken into custody and later released on station bail. The truck, GSS 1583, is owned by Ansa McAL Trading Limited.
Stabroek News understands that Charles had just exited Victoria Road, Plaisance and was attempting to cross the Plaisance Public Road when he was struck off his bicycle by the truck. As a result of the impact, he was pitched several feet away, landing on the road in front of the Sparendaam Police Station.
Charles’ daughter, Stacia Charles, said she was at home when she received the news of the accident. “One of his friends come and tell we and after that a set of other people keep coming saying the same thing,” she said.
According to Stacia, she along with other relatives rushed to the scene but by that time her father had already been transported to the hospital. They then travelled to the hospital but were unable to see the injured man until Friday evening.
“When we go the hospital, we see the doctor and so and he tell we what happen and say that he [Charles] is very critical and he might not make it,” Stacia said.
She said several tests and a CT scan were conducted before her father was transferred to the hospital’s Intensive Care Unit, where he died.
“Till about after 10 the night [Friday] my brother alone get to go see he and we went home and about after 2 o’clock yesterday morning we get a call from the hospital asking for we go the hospital but by time we reach there he did already die,” Stacia explained.
The relatives of the dead man said that based on what they were informed, the accident was recorded by surveillance cameras mounted at a Chinese restaurant in the vicinity. They added that eyewitnesses related to them that the driver of the truck was speeding at the time of the accident.
“One man tell me that he just heard the loud impact and by time he could have look out on the road, he just hear the truck brakes up and Charles lying on the road,” a relative noted.
Charles was described as a quiet and hardworking individual. He was the sole breadwinner for his family.
