Father of two killed in head-on collision

A father of two young children – a four-year-old girl and a two-month-old baby boy- was killed after he collided head-on with a motorcycle at Plum Park, Sophia, Georgetown, on Monday night.

Leroy Hercules, 28, of Durban Street, Georgetown and Ituni, Region 10, was a serving member of the Guyana Defence Force (GDF) for the past nine years.

At the time of the accident at around 19:30h, he was driving a motorcycle and crashed into a 29-year-old Plum Park resident when he attempted to swerve from a load of sand on the road.

Both Hercules and the resident were picked up by public-spirited persons and taken to the Georgetown Public Hospital where Hercules was pronounced dead, while the resident was admitted.

One of Hercules’ nieces, Angelica Duke, told the News Room that he suffered a broken neck and internal injuries. She said he was not wearing a helmet at the time of the accident and so she believes he would still be alive today if he was wearing one.

“He never liked helmets…I mean I don’t know what is it with these young people in these times and they always say – ‘oh I am a bad man and I ain’t afraid of police’ – but helmets are protection so whoever is out there, the helmet is not for you to show off, it is for protection. Maybe if he had worn a helmet I think he would probably have lived,” Duke explained.

Duke said the family remains in shock as they described him as the baby of the family; he was the youngest of 12 siblings.

“I don’t know how people remembered him, but I remember him as a pain in my ass…he always [teasing] me, but one thing for sure, he always gets me to do anything for him, because I love him that much; he was that dear to me so hearing of the accident, I could not have believed until I see him for myself,” Duke explained.

Hercules’ fiancée, Tamika Edmondson, who is also the mother of his two-month-old baby, was too distraught to speak with the media. A post mortem examination is expected to be done on Wednesday. (Isanella Patoir)