Accident victim discharged from hospital, requires 24-hour care

One month after he was injured in a hit-and-run accident on the Rupert Craig Highway, businessman, Allan Downes has been discharged from the hospital and is at home recuperating.

And while he has regained consciousness, he is still unable to speak and only has movements to the left side of his body.

The victim’s son, Oliver Downes on Wednesday told News Room that his father requires 24-hour care.

“We have nurses doing a shift system…He is like a stroke patient right now. He tries to speak but he can’t,” Oliver told the News Room.

According to Oliver, doctors are unable to determine at the moment whether his father will fully recover.

Downes started therapy on Monday, which is expected to help in his recovery process.

“He sustained a big blow to the left side (of his body) causing the immobility…Therapy will help but it could be a very lengthy process,” the son said.

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

The driver, Budhram Heeralall of Good Hope, East Coast Demerara reportedly fled the scene after the accident but was arrested hours after.

He was released on station bail and subsequently charged with two traffic-related offences; failure to render assistance after an accident and failure to report an accident.

Heeralall was placed on $80,000 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.

Oliver previously told the News Room that his father has been using the same route for his daily walks for some 20 years and so the 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.