Autopsy confirms excavator operator was crushed to death

Phillip Arthur
Phillip Arthur

An autopsy performed on the remains of Phillip Arthur, the excavator operator who died on Sunday after he was crushed by a truck, from which he reportedly jumped along Kumung Trail, in Region Seven, has confirmed that he died as a result of multiple crush injuries.

The police had said that Arthur, 35, of Lot 38 Section B, Block X, Diamond Housing Scheme, East Bank Demerara, jumped from the truck after it developed mechanical problems while ascending a hill.

The incident occurred around 6.30 pm on Sunday, after which the truck’s driver, a 42-year-old Itaballi resident, was arrested.

At the time of the incident, Arthur was seated in the cabin of the truck, GPP 8748, with trailer TPP 9380.      

While ascending a hill, the police said, the truck experienced mechanical problems and began to fall. As a result, Arthur reportedly jumped out of the vehicle and its front right wheel ran over him, the police added.

However, the dead man’s reputed wife, Veronica Johnson, had called for a thorough investigation of the accident.

Johnson had explained that she does not believe that Arthur jumped out of the moving truck as is being claimed.  The woman noted that if Arthur had jumped from the truck, he would have sustained more severe injuries about his body.

Johnson had said while she was not present at the time of the accident, she has since been hearing various accounts of what transpired.

She had explained that on Tuesday, a colleague of Arthur reported to her that after he jumped out of the truck, his clothes were hooked, resulting in him being brushed by the wheel.

Arthur, who worked as an excavator operator in the interior for the past 15 years, had related to his wife that the truck was developing mechanical problems. “They had to repair the truck because like it wasn’t fixing properly based on my knowledge. That is what he call me and tell me,” she noted.