A 16-year-old student of Bush Lot Secondary School met his demise yesterday afternoon after he was struck down by a motor vehicle allegedly being driven by a senior prison officer, who reportedly fled the scene.
The dead teen has been identified as Luke John of Lot 208 Waterloo, Bath Settlement, West Coast Berbice.
According to information reaching INews, the teen was returning home after visiting his sister at Cotton Tree, and was standing at the corner of the road soliciting public transportation when he was struck by motor vehicle PMM 3802, driven by the prison official.
INews understands that at the time of the incident, the driver was attempting to overtake the vehicle in front of him; however, he noticed another vehicle was coming towards him in the opposite direction and so swerved to avoid a head-on collision. Unfortunately, this resulted in him hitting the young boy.
John’s body was reportedly flung several feet away from the point of impact and landed in a clump of bushes. He was rushed to the Fort Wellington Hospital and subsequently transferred to the New Amsterdam Hospital where he was pronounced dead on arrival.
The driver was apprehended shortly after he fled and he is presently assisting with investigations.
