An accident on Monday night claimed the life of a 34-year-old pedal cyclist on the Den Amstel Public Road, West Coast Demerara (WCD).
Reports state that the accident involved a motor lorry, GTT 4953, driven by a 24-year-old from Meten-Meer-Zorg, WCD, and the now deceased, Joel Castang, of Lot 55 Hibiscus Scheme, Blankenburg, West Coast Demerara
Investigations revealed that the lorry was proceeding west along the public road when Castang rode across the road from south to north. The driver of the lorry swerved to avoid him but was unsuccessful. As a result, the front of the lorry collided with Castang who fell under the vehicle and was dragged for some distance.
An unconscious Castang was picked up and rushed to the Leonora Cottage Hospital where he was pronounced dead on arrival.
The deceased’s mother, Eunice Peters, told Stabroek News yesterday that her son was headed to the shop to buy a phone card and some chicken for the home. On his way to purchase the items he rode across the road to buy dog food for someone and it was when he was crossing the road again to continue his errand that he got into the accident.
Peters recalled that at the time of the incident she was at home in the middle of an online gospel meeting when she received a call from her daughter informing her of the accident. She immediately instructed her relatives to hurry and find out what had happened.
She related that Castang was the youngest of her children and he had travelled from the North West a week before Christmas to spend the holidays with the family. She added that her son had planned to go back to his Matthews Ridge, North West District home at the end of the month. He has left to mourn his children and partner who live in the North West.
The body is at the Ezekiel Funeral Home, awaiting a post-mortem examination. A breathalyzer test was conducted on the lorry driver and no trace of alcohol was found. He is in custody assisting with the investigation.
