Driver in hit & run for court next week, victim remains critical

Budhram Heeralall, the driver who is allegedly responsible for the hit-and-run accident which has left 52-year-old Allan Downes critically injured, is slated to be charged in the next week.

The News Room was reliably informed that while the accident is still being investigated, Heeralall is scheduled to appear in court next week and is likely to face two traffic-related offences, including failure to render assistance after an accident.

Downes of Oleander Gardens, East Coast Demerara was struck down by an Audi, PAC 5314, during his early morning walk along the Rupert Craig Highway on April 10.

He remains unconscious in the Intensive Care Unit of the Georgetown Public Hospital. Heeralall reportedly fled the scene after the accident but was arrested hours after. He was subsequently released on station bail.

Traffic Chief, Superintendent Dennis Stephen had told the News Room that the accident occurred at around 05:30 hrs in the vicinity of the University of Guyana (UG) road.

According to the senior cop, the vehicle was proceeding east along the northern carriageway when Downes allegedly walked from north to south and into the path of the vehicle.

The victim’s son, Oliver Downes, told the News Room that his father was on his daily early morning walk when the accident occurred; he has been using the same route for the past 20 years and his family believes it is impossible he would walk into the path of the vehicle.

Oliver said he was recently shown surveillance footage by the Police which contradicts their [the Police’s] account of the accident.

“The footage clearly shows that the vehicle…was proceeding east along Rupert Craig Highway, passing the UG Road junction, and suddenly veered off to the northern corner of the highway, hitting our father Allan Downes, then swerving to the southern lane before returning to the northern lane to a complete stop,” Oliver explained.

“The driver stopped for approximately 30 seconds then slowly drove off fleeing the scene of the accident and failing to render assistance to our father, who was left for dead at the side of the road with severely critical head injuries,” he added.

Oliver emphasised that his father sustained severe injuries behind his knees, which he noted is a clear indication that he was struck from behind.

He said the family remains concerned about the manner in which the Police are handling the investigation.