Deadly ECD accident: Police say driver lost control of minibus

Andrew Albert, the bus driver involved in the East Coast Demerara accident lost control of the vehicle while trying to overtake a pickup truck, Police reported.

Back in 2018, Albert was charged with dangerous driving and released on $100,000 bail after he allegedly struck down then eight-year-old Matthew Zaman along the East Coast of Demerara (ECD) Public Road. The child was left bedridden after the accident.

According to the police, Albert, 38, of Lamaha Park, Georgetown lost control of minibus BAB 4746, which resulted in the death of himself and Annalisa Lackhan, 38, of Lot 81 Gopie Street, Buxton North.

The bus was travelling along the southern driving lane of the Northern carriageway on the East Coast Highway, while motor pickup GNN 3048, driven by Michael Eon Lovell, of Goed Intent Village, West Bank Demerara, was driving in the same lane.

Albert reportedly attempted to overtake the motor pickup but instead, he subsequently collided with the vehicle.

Albert then lost control and the bus toppled, colliding with the pickup and horse cart. The minibus also collided into the side rear of motor car PLL 5535.

Albert and Lackhan, who was in the front seat of the bus, died at the scene.

The driver’s father, Cyril Albert, was at the scene following the accident. He told reporters that he was preparing to leave town for work when he was told about the accident.

“I would not be able to go to work tomorrow because I can’t leave him like this. I am flying tomorrow to get back in the interior and this is the sad news that I got,” Albert told reporters.

According to the man, he found out about the accident through phone calls from persons who saw the accident online. He said after arriving on the scene and seeing that his son died in the accident he could not do anything to help his son.

“Well what I could do? I can’t do anything because I’m here and I see the kind of accident, I know his sister is not too pleased,” he said.

Albert said his son worked as a Policeman for several years before he became employed with ExxonMobil, but he was also a part-time driver.

Albert said his son was a jovial person and “everybody know him around this place, even when he was there (in the Force), everybody knew him.”

Meanwhile, eight other persons who were traveling in the bus were injured and rushed to the Georgetown Public hospital.