A motor cyclist is now dead and the pillion rider critical after their vehicle collided with a car being driven by a police officer in New Amsterdam on Sunday morning.
Dead is Gavin Crandon, 29, of Angoy’s Avenue, New Amsterdam, while pillion rider Hubert Williamson, 15, of the same area, is said to be in a critical condition at the Georgetown Public Hospital.
Police, in a statement, said the accident occurred at about 01:20hrs, when motorcar PSS 1890, driven by its police owner who is stationed at Fort Wellington Police Station, was proceeding north along the western carriageway of Main Street in New Amsterdam, but stopped in the centre of the road to negotiate a right turn into Lad Lane. Motorcycle CJ 735, with Crandon and Williamson aboard, was proceeding in the opposite direction and collided with the front of the car.
The injured Crandon and Williamson were rushed to the New Amsterdam Hospital, where Crandon was pronounced dead on arrival and Williamson was treated and transferred to the GPHC.
The policeman is reportedly in custody assisting with the investigation. A breathalyser test determined that he was not under the influence. Eyewitnesses have claimed that both Crandon and Williamson were consuming alcohol prior to the incident. According to one eyewitness, the two had sped past the area twice before, and their third journey was fatal.
According to another source, the motorcycle was travelling, “at an extremely fast rate” when the car attempted to turn into Lad Lane. Thus it “was unable to hold the brakes, and went straight into the car.”
The eyewitness claimed that the impact of the collision pitched Crandon about fifteen feet away, and Williamson much further.
“Crandon start bleeding from his head and nose right away,” the eyewitness said, adding, “They were coming from a party, and none of them had on helmet.”
Sunday morning’s accident was the second fatality in Berbice within hours. On Saturday night, a minibus driver was killed after a car being driven by a police officer collided with the bicycle he was riding along the Rosignol public road, West Coast Berbice.
The police officer, who was using his private vehicle at the time, reportedly told relatives of the dead mini bus driver that he was tired and had fallen asleep at the wheel.
The police are investigating. (Andrew Carmichael)
