Cop who crashed new vehicle to be disciplined – source

The policeman who was involved in an accident along the Canefield Public Road, East Canje, Berbice, on Thursday afternoon is expected to be “disciplined departmentally.”

The policeman, who was at the time driving a new police vehicle allocated to the B Division, from the donation made by the Government of China, was involved in a collision with another car. The accident, which occurred just one day after the new pick-ups were delivered to the B Division, happened as the police vehicle was attempting to overtake a build-up of traffic.

The pick-up crashed into a car which spun and ended up in the middle of the road, opposite Galaxy Street, Canefield Village, East Canje, Berbice, while the police vehicle landed in a nearby drain.

Stabroek News arrived at the scene, shortly after the collision and observed the occupants exiting both vehicles. At least two police officers were in the pick-up, at the time of the accident.  No one appeared to have been seriously injured.

The driver of the car, Deonarine Gangapersaud, 42, told Stabroek News, that he was “turning into a bridge” opposite Galaxy Street, in Canefield Village, East Canje, when the police vehicle, “coming with a speed,” overtook a sugar truck and then slammed into his car.

Gangapersaud noted that his wife and four-year-old son were also in the car at the time of the collision, while stressing that he was thankful that no one was injured. Meanwhile, the driver of the police vehicle was taken to the New Amsterdam Public Hospital, a short while after his colleagues arrived on the scene. A source said that the vehicle, which had been heading to the Reliance Police Station, sustained only minor damage.

A police source in the B Division stressed that the matter is still under investigation. However, he noted, that the driver of the police vehicle will be disciplined departmentally. He added that the police vehicle is not insured, while suggesting that the driver of the car will most likely have to contact his personal insurance, or take action against the police driver, if a settlement is not offered.

Meanwhile, another police source said that the file will be sent to the Commissioner of Police for him to determine whether or not, a sum of money will be allocated for repairing the police vehicle.