Truck driver slapped with causing death charge

Essequibo motorcyclist accident

Thirty-year-old Balwant Mohabeer, a truck driver of Lot 52 Zorg, Essequibo Coast was on Thursday slapped with a causing death by dangerous driving charge, after he appeared before Magistrate Sunil Scarce at the Suddie Magistrate’s Court.

He pleaded not guilty to the charge which stated that on February 5, 2017 he drove motor lorry GNN 6695 in a dangerous manner on the Airy Hall Public Road causing the death of 17-year-old Iftikar Ishmael.

At the time of the accident, Ishmael was riding motorcycle CC 2962 when he collided with the motor lorry.

The prosecution stated that the motor lorry was proceeding west out of Man-Man Gas Station, located on the eastern side of the road, while the motorcyclist was said to be proceeding north along the western side of the road. He was said to be going at a fast pace when he lost control and rode onto the eastern carriageway, colliding with the front of the motor lorry’s left side.

The teenager fell off the motorcycle, and received injuries about his body. He was picked up in an unconscious state by public-spirited citizens and rushed to the Suddie Hospital, where he later was pronounced dead by doctors.

The truck driver was granted $600,000 bail on the condition that he report to the Suddie Police Station every Monday. The case will be called again on March 3.

Meanwhile, the autopsies conducted on Iftikar Ishmael and pedestrian Askuk Dass, 56, of Adventure Village, who lost his life on February 6, around 19:30h when the driver of motor car PVV 4390 ran over him, revealed that they both died as a result of multiple injuries. The autopsies were conducted by Government pathologist, Dr Nehaul Singh on Thursday at the Suddie Mortuary. (Guyana Times)