An afternoon outing for a family ended tragically on Sunday when a woman was killed and her husband and one of their three children were injured after they were struck by an intoxicated truck driver along the Canal Number One, West Bank Demerara Public Road.
Angelle Barry, 30, called ‘Odessa,’ of Lot 5 L’Oratoire, Canal Number One, suffered the worst of the injuries in the accident, which occurred around 5.30 pm when they were hit by the truck, GPP 4022. Her husband, Jusley Brisport, 36, suffered a broken arm and one of their children, identified as three-year-old Nefetari, sustained bruises about her body.
They were all rushed to the West Demerara Regional Hospital, where Angelle succumbed to her injuries while receiving medical attention.
Jusley, a shoemaker and farmer, and Nefetari were treated and discharged. However, after complaining of severe pain, Jusley was taken to a city private hospital yesterday for further medical attention.
The couple’s two other children, Orias and Akeria, who were with them at the time of the accident, escaped unhurt.
Police spokesman Jairam Ramlakhan, in a press release on the accident yesterday, confirmed that the driver of a truck, a 30-year-old resident of L’Oratoire, was taken into custody. He was subjected to a breathylyser test, which revealed that he was over the legal limit, Ramlakhan added.
At the time of the accident, the family was heading to a event hosted by a relative in a neighbouring community.
Enquiries, the police said, revealed that Jusley was leading the way with Nefetari in hand while Angelle and the other two children were walking behind him when the truck driver, who was proceeding in the same direction, overtook a car that was proceeding infront of him. It was while overtaking the car that he struck the couple, the police said.
The accident left the community in a state of shock.
When Stabroek News visited the scene yesterday, traffic officers were present carrying out investigations.
The truck was impounded at the La Grange Police Station. It appeared dented and its windscreen was shattered.
“…Like a dog”
A first responder, who wished not to be named, told Stabroek News that she was in
her house when she heard a loud impact.
“I was inside and I heard ‘Bam!’ And when I look out, I saw the male and female [Jusley and Angelle] on the ground and the three children apart from each other and they were crying. I thought it was a dog with the hit that I heard… he [driver] hit them people like hitting a dog. I hear dah thing, ‘Bam!” the woman related.
She said the driver did not stop immediately after the accident nor did he offer to assist the family. It was residents of the community who helped to get the injured to the hospital, she added.
“He [the driver] didn’t even stop or render assistance. He get away because nobody knew who he was or where he gone. Is ’til when a girl coming from up the road and she seh it got to be the guy wah was walking up the road with blood on he skin. He got to be the driver fah the Canter. ’Til away. If you hit them people hay, you gone go ’til up dah side and park? You ain’t even come back fah seh, yuh reverse yuh Canter or wahever and yuh throw them in yuh vehicle and take them to the hospital,” the woman lamented.
She said the police arrived at the scene hours after the accident.
Meanwhile, a relative of the couple expressed anger about the manner in which the hospital dealt with the case. “Nothing was working. There was a delay in everything,” the relative stated.
