Berbice teen dies after being struck down by Chief Prison Officer

A Berbice teenager has lost his life after he was struck down on the Cotton Tree Public Road, West Coast Berbice by a motor vehicle being driven by the Chief Prison Officer yesterday (Tuesday, April 11, 2017).

Dead is Luke John, 16 years of Waterloo, Bath Settlement, West Coast Berbice.

News Room understands that at around 13:30 hrs the driver of motor car PMM 3802, 46-year- old Kirt Joseph of Charlestown, Georgetown was proceeding south along the eastern lane of the Cotton Tree Public Road at a fast rate when he attempted to overtake a motor lorry not realizing that a vehicle was coming in the opposite direction.

According to a police source, to avoid a head-on collision, the Chief Prison Officer swerved to the corner of the road where the teen was standing and struck him down.

Following the impact, the teen was flung several feet away and was later picked up by public spirited citizens and rushed to the Fort Wellington Public Hospital where he died moments later, while the driver of the motor car was arrested and taken into custody pending charges.

However, according to the dead lad’s sister, Wanita Ramjit, she was alerted by the screams of neighbours and upon checking, she realized her brother had been struck down. The young woman said she rushed to assist her brother, who was barely clinging to life.

According to the distraught Ramjit, attempts to have the lad transported to the Fort Wellington Hospital took almost half an hour as onlookers refused to assist. Upon arrival at the Fort Wellington Hospital, he was transferred to the New Amsterdam Hospital.

Reports from the sister indicated that he died on the way there. It is also being alleged that the driver, the Chief Prison Officer, fled the scene after hitting the lad.

John received injuries to his head, arms, and legs. He was the youngest of three siblings.

Investigations are ongoing.