Man dead, two others critical after Liliendaal crash

Isaiah Corlette
Isaiah Corlette

A Castello Housing Scheme man is now dead, while two other persons are critical after the car they were in crashed into a utility pole at Liliendaal, along the Rupert Craig Highway yesterday morning.

Dead is Isaiah Corlette, 25, of 99 Castello Housing Scheme, who lost his life on his birthday.

The injured have been identified as Mikhail Punch, 25, of Lot 33 Middle Street, Sparendaam, East Coast Demerara, who is said to have been the driver of the car, and Akeisha Jones, 24, of Leopold Street, Werk-en-Rust, who was travelling with them.

The accident occurred around 2.20 am yesterday, after which the victims were all taken to the Georgetown Public Hospital, where Corlette was pronounced dead on arrival. Punch and Jones were admitted to the Intensive Care Unit (ICU), where they both remained up to last evening.

Traffic Chief Linden Isles yesterday said the police investigation had so far revealed that the vehicle in which the three were travelling, PWW 676, was proceeding west along the southern carriageway of the road when Punch reportedly lost control and collided with a utility pole.

As a result of the impact, they were all flung onto the roadway.

At the time of the accident, they were said to be heading to Georgetown after hanging out at the Plaisance Line Top.

At the scene of the accident yesterday morning, it was observed that a zinc fence, which the car slammed into after uprooting the utility pole, was destroyed.

Shattered glass and several items from the car were also still scattered along the roadway.

Shania Corlette, the dead man’s sister, later told Stabroek News that she and her family learnt of the accident from an unknown caller.

“My (other) brother and my cousin, when they rushed to the scene, his (Isaiah) lifeless body was there on the road. He was already dead apparently,” she said.

Shania was told that the car was proceeding at a fast rate at the time of the accident. “He (Isaiah) fling out of the car and his neck appeared to be broken,” she noted.

She explained that her other brother, who is a police officer, was on duty Friday morning when he received a call from a colleague, who informed him that his assistance was needed at an accident scene.

“…He just got a call from his colleague to come and give him a hand at the scene and when he reach there,  he didn’t know he was going to help remove his own brother body,” Shania said.

She said while the family does not know Jones, Punch and Isaiah were schoolmates.

 “…..Like Isaiah wasn’t really dressed to go out on the Line Top….it look like he was forced to go. And apparently people saying that the guy (Punch) was out on the Line Top skating and so on and somebody took the key away from him and he still take back the key from them and say he alright, he cool, he could drive and Isaiah was like ‘Yes, y’all give he back the keys,’” she explained, while noting that this is what her family was told.