Two perish in Liliendaal three-vehicle crash

A three-vehicle smash-up on the Liliendaal Railway Embankment late Saturday night has claimed the lives of two men and left one person hospitalised.

The deceased are taxi driver Devaskar Jetoo of Lot 79 New Road, Vreed-en-Hoop, West Coast Demerara and Nasad Ali, 23, of Atlantic Gardens and Lusignan, East Coast Demerara. The injured person is Evana Seejatan, 26, also of Atlantic Gardens. The third driver, 45-year-old Petal Northe of Lot 14 Arapaima Street was treated and sent home.

 Police in a statement yesterday morning said the accident occurred at about 10.30 pm in the vicinity of the Liliendaal Bridge.

The mangled vehicle that was being driven by Devaskar Jetoo at the scene on Saturday night. (Guyana Police Force photo)
Two of the motor vehicles that were involved in the Liliendaal accident. (Guyana Police Force photo)

Investigations revealed that Ali, who was the driver of motor car PWW 3133 was proceeding west along the southern side of the Railway Embankment at a fast rate and attempted to overtake motor car PMM 1176, which was being driven by Northe. In doing so, Ali’s car collided with the right side of Northe’s car.

Police said that as a result of the collision, Ali lost control and ended up in the path of Jetoo’s vehicle, HC 6244 which was heading east.

As a consequence of the collision, motor car PWW 3133 and the hire car were extensively damaged. They have been lodged at the Turkeyen Police Station.

Ali was pronounced dead on the scene by a doctor on the Emergency Medical Response Team while Jetoo and Seejatan were rushed to the Georgetown Public Hospital for medical attention.

At about 4 am yesterday Jetoo succumbed to his injuries. Seejatan remains a patient at the hospital.

Yesterday, family members of Ali were in deep sorrow. Ali, who is the son of  businessman Mohamed Ali, of White Boy Autospares, was on his way to purchase food on Sheriff Street with his partner when the accident occurred. His father told Stabroek News that they were not aware of the accident until yesterday morning. He said that they received a message around 8 am and they immediately rushed to the hospital to enquire.

“When we got to the hospital they told us he was in the mortuary… this is the hardest thing I have had to go through in the longest while… I didn’t expect this,” the grieving father said.

He explained that his son and Seejatan lived together at her Atlantic Gardens home. Subsequent to the accident, he said that Seejatan was unconscious and it was only yesterday morning she regained consciousness.

“He is a very friendly outgoing person. He loved his family and will always be there,” the father said when asked to describe his son’s personality. He added that his son was very business oriented and focused on the development of his enterprise. 

The deceased Ali is the eldest of four siblings.

Efforts to contact the family of Jetoo proved futile.