An accident on the Port Mourant Public Road, Corentyne, Berbice, on Saturday night has left four persons injured and one man, who was intoxicated while driving and had fled the scene, arrested.
Injured are Doodnauth Pattiram of Tain, Corentyne; Rahim Subratally of Johanna North, Blackbush Polder, Corentyne; Rehana Baichoo also of Johanna North, Black Bush Polder; and Mark Rose of Tucber Park, New Amsterdam, Berbice.
At the time of the accident, which occurred around 18:15 hrs, hire car #HC9700 was driven by Mahendra Mangal of Tain Village, Corentyne, with Pattiram as the passenger, while minibus #PHH 13 was driven by Subratally with Baichoo as an occupant. Rose was a pedestrian and there was also Khemadatt Persaud of Vyheid, West Canje, Berbice with his parked motor lorry #GMM 9134 nearby.
It was reported that minibus #PHH 13 was proceeding along the said road when the driver alleged that he was driving at 50 kmph within the vicinity of Port Mourant Public Hospital.
He further claimed that he then saw the motor lorry stationary on the road with its hazard lights on.
While in the process of passing the lorry, hire car #HC9700 tried to overtake his bus and collided with his front door.
As a result of the impact, he lost control of the bus and collided with the rear portion of the lorry.
The driver of hire car #HC 9700 also lost control and collided with the pedestrian who was changing the punctured wheel of the lorry.
As a result of the impact, the pedestrian, the passenger, the driver of the minibus and the occupant received injuries about their bodies and were all taken to the Port Mourant Public Hospital in conscious conditions by public-spirited citizens.
The driver of the hire car fled the scene, while the other persons were seen and examined at the hospital.
The passenger was treated and sent away, while the pedestrian, the driver of the minibus and the occupant were treated and referred to the New Amsterdam Public Hospital where they were further treated for injuries sustained. The pedestrian suffered a fractured ankle and laceration to both hands. He was treated and sent away.
The occupant was treated for a fractured leg and was also sent away. However, the minibus driver was treated for a fractured right ankle and admitted in a stable condition.
The driver of the hire car was later arrested and a breathalyzer test was conducted on him and he was found to be above the legal limit in terms of alcohol consumption.
Meanwhile, the driver of the minibus was also tested and his blood alcohol content read zero.
The hire car driver remains in custody while investigations are ongoing.
