Fatal Friday: Three dead and dozens injured in separate crashes across Demerara and Berbice

Police divisions across three regions are probing a series of deadly accidents that occurred within three hours on Friday, leaving three people dead—including a teenager—and more than a dozen others injured, several critically.

The crashes, which happened between 18:05 hrs and 21:15 hrs on the West Coast Demerara, Corentyne, and East Coast Demerara, triggered widespread emergency responses as public-spirited citizens and medical teams rushed to assist.

The first fatality was recorded at Wallers Delight Public Road, West Coast Demerara, at about 18:10 hrs.

Police in Regional Division Three reported that 58-year-old pedestrian Anand Persaud, of no fixed place of abode, was hit by an unknown silver motor pickup heading west along the southern side of the road.

Persaud suffered severe head and body injuries. Residents rushed him to the West Demerara Regional Hospital, where he was pronounced dead on arrival.

The driver fled the scene and is still being sought. Persaud’s body is at the Ezekiel Funeral Home awaiting a post-mortem examination.

Just minutes earlier—at 18:05 hrs—a mass-casualty crash unfolded on the Number 62 Public Road, Corentyne, Berbice.

Police in Regional Division Six said 16-year-old Jodea Seline, of Limlair Village, died after a minibus transporting teachers and students overturned.

The vehicle, BAB 7570, was driven by a 31-year-old teacher from Brighton Village. Investigators said he lost control of the bus, which flipped onto its right side and sustained extensive damage.

A total of 18 people—the driver and 17 passengers—were injured. Seline was pronounced dead at the Number 75 Regional Hospital upon arrival.

Three critically injured persons—the driver, a 13-year-old girl of Brighton Village, and a 16-year-old girl from Cromarty Village—were transferred to the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation.

The remaining passengers are hospitalised at the Number 75 Regional Hospital in stable condition. Seline’s body is at the hospital mortuary pending a post-mortem.

The third fatal crash occurred around 21:15 hrs at Nabaclis Public Road, East Coast Demerara.

Police in Regional Division Four ‘C’ said a black and red Honda XR motorcycle was heading west along the southern lane when it collided with a pedal cycle ridden by a 23-year-old man of Sideline Dam, Golden Grove. The cyclist was crossing the road with an eight-year-old girl, also from Golden Grove, who was seated as a pillion rider.

The motorcyclist—whose name and other details are still unknown—suffered severe injuries and was pronounced dead at the Enmore Regional Hospital.

The pedal cyclist and the child remain hospitalised. The motorcyclist’s body is at Memorial Gardens Funeral Home awaiting a post-mortem.

Police in all three divisions say investigations are ongoing to determine the causes of the crashes, with one driver still at large in the Wallers Delight hit-and-run.