– says cyclist darted across road
Thirty-three year old Ravindra Ramkissoon who is accused of causing the death of a 58-year-old pedal cyclist at the Goed Fortuin Public Road on October 22, 2016, led his defence in an unsworn statement on Monday. He told the court that about 21:50h on the night of the accident, he was heading home from work and was driving at a normal rate.
Ramkissoon told Senior Magistrate Clive Nurse that on that night, a line of vehicles was proceeding when one of the drivers allowed him to pass. The accused claimed that it was then that the cyclist darted across the road in front of him.
“A bicycle man dash across the road and go straight into my vehicle,” he told the court.
He further explained that the deceased man who was later identified as Albert Shivdyal, “went unto the bonnet” and hit his windscreen before he rolled off. Ramkissoon then stated that additional damage was caused to his vehicle when it was towed by police the next day which followed a collision with a construction truck. Due to his unsworn statement, the accused car driver could not be cross-examined by the prosecutor.
Ramkissoon was the driver of motorcar, PNN 7289, that slammed into and allegedly killed Shivdyal. The accused man is represented by attorney Pamela De Santos.
In 2016, it was reported that the speeding car had collided with a bicycle which resulted in Shivdyal’s death. Police had disclosed that the car “was proceeding north along the western driveway at a fast rate, while the cyclist was proceeding in the said direction but on the eastern side of the road”.
Eyewitnesses had noted that the cyclist was struck after he had crossed the road from east to west into the path of the speeding vehicle. Police had also noted that no trace of blood alcohol was found on the driver.
Ramkissoon told the Magistrate that he will not call any witnesses in his defence. He will make his next appearance at the Wales Magistrate’s Court on August 25. (Shemuel Fanfair)
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