Death stalks the roadways…Policeman among four killed in two days
A police constable, just eight months on the job, and a young woman from the Pomeroon were among four people killed within two days in separate road accidents. The accidents reportedly occurred between 18:00 hrs on Saturday and 02:45 hrs yesterday. Those killed have been identified as 75-year-old Kishian Manglani of Lot 2D First Street Bel Air Park; Police Constable Jermaine Harlequin, 20, of Lot 8 Phoenix Park, West Bank Demerara (WBD) and Delicia Simpson, 20. Up to press time the fourth person, a male, remained unidentified. Kaieteur News was unable to get the names of the injured persons, who according to hospital sources, were all treated and discharged from the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation (GPHC). At the home of the policeman yesterday, his relatives were all in disbelief at how the young man, who only joined the Guyana Police Force as a Tactical Service Unit (TSU) rank, eight months ago, met his death. Kaieteur News was told that around 02:45 hrs on Sunday, Harlequin was heading home on his motorcycle from a party in Uitvlugt, West Coast Demerara, with a female, Tiffany Thomas, when the accident occurred. A relative of the policeman said that just as Harlequin was turning into Phoenix Park from the WBD Public Road, the driver of a car, PKK 2237 also turned into the village from the opposite direction.
Dead: Policeman Jermaine Harlequin
Dead: Kishian Manglani
The 20-year-old and the driver of the motor car collided. It is unclear if Harlequin was wearing a helmet at the time of the accident but this newspaper was told that he was flung several feet away from the accident scene. “He (policeman) was coming from Vreed-en-Hoop direction and the driver was coming from the Harbour Bridge direction and all two of them turned into the (narrow) road and they collided,” the policeman’s relative said. Thomas, 18, was treated and sent away while Harlequin was pronounced dead on arrival at the GPHC. The driver of the car is in police custody. Meanwhile, Kishian Manglani was on Saturday afternoon heading to the Shell Gas Station on Regent Street, Georgetown, when he was struck down by a car. The accident reportedly occurred around 18:15 hrs and the 75-year-old father of three was pronounced dead around 22:00 hrs at the GPHC. According to his daughter, Sabita Manglani, based on information given to her, the pensioner had already crossed half-way of the road when he allegedly walked in front of a car. “According to the driver, the traffic was proceeding slowly (heading in the direction of Stabroek market) and he (Manglani) was in the middle already crossing. He was looking down so he saw the car too late. When he noticed it, he was already in front of it and it was to his tummy,” Sabita said.
From the top, Constable Harlequin’s mother, girlfriend, sister and another relative
She added, “He bent and the car hit his head.” Manglani, who moved to Guyana from India over 35 years ago, was taken to the GPHC by the driver, who is said to be in police custody. Also, Delicia Simpson of Pomeroon was in a Sport Utility Vehicle with several friends, including Dwayne Loafer when the motor vehicle suffered a blowout and the driver of the car lost control of his vehicle. The SUV reportedly overturned. Simpson died on the spot while Loafer was treated at a private hospital and sent away. The other persons who were in the car received minor injuries. According to information, Simpson and her friends were returning from an Amerindian cultural show at St. Cuthbert Mission. The accident reportedly occurred late Saturday. Meanwhile, the police in a statement said that at around 10:30 hrs on Saturday, a pedal cyclist was struck down by a motor vehicle on the Good Hope Embankment, East Coast Demerara. He was taken to the GPHC where he succumbed. The pedal cyclist is of East Indian decent. The driver of the motor vehicle is in police custody assisting with information.