A female police officer is now dead and another injured after a speeding and drunken driver breached a stoplight and ploughed his jeep into them whilst they were manning a roadblock outside of the police station at Beterverwagting, East Coast Demerara (ECD).
Dead is Woman Constable Annette Abel, a 53-year-old resident of Perth Village, Mahaicony, ECD. Injured is Woman Inspector Shenay Castello, who was the Inspector-in-Charge at the BV Police Station.
Inspector Castello was commanding a roadblock outside of the police station, assisted by Constable Abel and other cops including Corporal Keshan Collins, Lance Corporal Jenella Jonas, Constable Brian Tappin, and Constable Wayne Daniels.
Whilst on duty, Constable Abel stopped motorcars PAB 9932 and PNN 8124; both of the vehicles pulled left and were stationary on the roadway when the motor jeep, which was proceeding in the same direction and lane at a fast rate of speed, approached the traffic light signal situated at the junction of Republic Drive, Beterverwagting and the East Coast Highway.
At the time, the traffic signal was in working order and showing red in his direction but the driver drove through the red light signal and collided with the traffic cones, which were at the centre of the road as part of the roadblock operation.
The driver lost control of his vehicle and struck Woman Constable Abel into motorcar PAB 9932 which then collided with motorcar PNN 8124.
Motorcar PNN 8124 then spun and collided with Woman Inspector Castello and one of the drivers, Chris Allen, who were all flung into the air.
Woman Constable Abel landed about 20ft away on the road surface with her left foot severed below the knee. Woman Inspector Castello and Chris Allen landed on the southern grass parapet.
Meanwhile, the motor jeep, PVV 8278, which was driven by a 44-year-old resident of East Ruimveldt, Georgetown, turned turtle on the southern grass parapet.
At the time, the vehicle had two other occupants. The driver and the passengers also received injuries about their bodies.
The EMT was summoned and Woman Constable Abel was pronounced dead at the scene while all other injured persons were taken to seek medical treatment.
INews was informed that the driver of the motor jeep was found to be intoxicated at the time of the crash, which occurred at around 22:00hrs.
