July 19 ,2021
Local law enforcement officers were busy over the weekend investigating four fatal accidents and two homicides.
The first fatal incident occurred on the No. 3 Public Road, West Coast Berbice at 3:45 p.m.
It involved a motor jeep licensed no. PTT 5255, driven by 68-year-old Tarachand Balgobin of Mon Repos, East Coast Demerara and a Black Honda XR 150 motorcycle no. CK 370 driven by 20-year-old Nathaniel Ledra, a teacher at Black Bush Secondary School and of Lot 195 Mibicuri North Black Bush Polder Corentyne, Berbice.
According to a police report, the motor jeep was proceeding west along the southern side on the No. 3 Public Road West Coast Berbice whilst motorcycle No. CK 370 was proceeding in the said direction behind the motor jeep.
It is alleged that the motor jeep stopped and made a sudden u-turn from the southern to the northern side.
Police said the motorcyclist then swerved north to avoid a collision but despite his effort, collided with the front right side portion of the motor jeep.
As a result of the collision, the motorcyclist fell onto the road surface where he received injuries about his body.
He was picked up in an unconscious status by public-spirited citizens and taken to Fort Wellington Hospital where he was pronounced dead on arrival.
Ledra accident scene
Breathalyzer test conducted on the driver of motor jeep #PTT 5255 but no trace of alcohol was found in his breath. A notice of Intended Prosecution was served on him as he remains in custody assisting with investigations.
The body of the deceased is presently lying at the Anthony Funeral Parlour awaiting a post mortem examination.
The second fatal accident occurred on the Diamond Public Road, East Bank Demerara (EBD), taking the lives of three people and leaving several others with life-threatening injuries.
Police identified the fatalities as 18-year-old Anthony Persaud of Lot 108 Land of Canaan, EBD, and Aaliyah Edwards of Lot 16 Land of Canaan, EBD. The younger brother of Anthony Persaud, 17-year-old Johnny Persaud, who reportedly sustained abrasions to the shoulders and back, later succumbed to his injuries.
The driver, 23-year-old Kevon Moore of Five Door Koker Dam, Land of Canaan, EBD, has since been arrested.
Police said that around 22:00hrs, Moore was returning from the seawall, proceeding south along the Public Road at a fast rate when he lost control of the vehicle BXX 7256, resulting in it toppling several times before coming to a halt.
Injured passengers were assisted by public-spirited citizens and rushed to the Diamond Diagnostic Centre where Persaud and Edwards were pronounced dead on arrival. The bodies remain at the Carmina Funeral Home awaiting an autopsy.
The police report indicated that passengers- 23-year-old Jessie Wishart; 20-year-old Joel Wishart; 18-year-old Odarry Gonsalves; 18-year-old Valencia George and 17-year-old Shane Argyle, all of Land of Canaan, EBD, were treated and sent away.
However, the remaining passengers who sustained more critical injuries were transferred to the Georgetown Public Hospital.
Those are 18-year-old Sabrina Corlette of Lot 186 Hyde Park, Timehri, EBD, who sustained an open fracture-dislocation to right ankle and head injuries; 18-year-old Seth Abrams of Lot 66 Schoonord, West Coast Demerara, who sustained deep abrasion injuries to his right leg; and 16-year-old Micheal James of Lot 29 Koker Dam, Land of Canaan, EBD, who sustained severe head injuries.
According to the police report, the driver was subjected to a breathalyzer test, which revealed had 0.039 and 0.037 micrograms of alcohol in his breath.
He remains in custody assisting with investigations.
Meanwhile, police are investigating two homicides that occurred on Saturday.
In the first incident, two persons were shot – one fatally – at the Queenstown bus shed on the Essequibo Coast at 7:30 p.m.
Dead is 22-year-old Keyion Devain McLennon of Queenstown, Essequibo Coast.
The other man was rushed to the Suddie Public Hospital.
Neighbours reported hearing at least three gunshots. On investigation, they learnt two men were shot.
One of the men, later identified as McLennon, was seen lying in a pool of blood under the bus shed.
In the second homicide, the victim identified as 23-year-old man Delron McKenzie, of Roxanne Burnham Gardens, Georgetown, was gunned down on Saturday night at around 9:50 p.m. at Sunflower Street, Wismar in Linden during a drive-by shooting.
His friend, Calvin Daly, sustained gunshot wounds on the left and right lower arm with abrasions to both of his arms.
He was admitted to the Linden Hospital Complex and was scheduled to be transferred to the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation for surgery.
According to a police report, Daly said he accompanied McKenzie to Linden to visit a female friend.
At around 9 p.m. the two men arrived in Linden and stopped to purchase food at Church’s. Thereafter, it was reported that McKenzie was given directions by his female friend to travel by boat to get to his destination. When he arrived at the Mackenzie shore, he was told to walk through Sunflower Street.
The friend claimed that the female called McKenzie again and told him to turn around since she will send a silver wagon to pick them up.
They then walked out of the street where the said silver wagon car turned around and as McKenzie approached the car to open the back door, a male of African descent opened the door first and started to shoot at him while another male came out of the front passenger seat and opened fire too.
The friend – Daly – ran for cover leaving McKenzie behind. Police said the car had three male occupants at the time. The shooters escaped in a southern direction towards Silver City street.
According to the police report, Daly claimed that he doesn’t know anything about the female that McKenzie took him to Linden to meet.
McKenzie was pronounced dead at the Linden Hospital Complex; his body is at the GJetso Funeral home awaiting an autopsy.
A fully burnt Fielder wagon motor vehicle, suspected to be used in this homicide, was discovered by the police at Blue Lake, Linden on Sunday at 3:30 p.m.
