1 dead, 1 critical after car crashes into cows

Twenty-one-year-old Riaz Khan of Lot 38, Block “A” Vergenoegen, East Bank Essequibo was allegedly driving a motor car at a fast rate along the East Bank Essequibo roadway in the wee hours of Saturday, as he and four others tried to catch the ferry that would transport them to the Essequibo Coast (Region Two), where they were to attend a function.

At about 2:30h, while in the village of Philadelphia, East Bank Essequibo (EBE), he slammed the vehicle into three cows that were lying on the roadway. The car reportedly toppled several times before coming to a halt, and the impact of this collision caused residents to rush out of their homes to lend assistance to the crash victims.
They were rushed to the Leonora Cottage Hospital, where Khan, a teacher at the Guyana Islamic Institute, succumbed to his injures while one Ramzan, of Adventure, Essequibo Coast remains there in critical condition. The other three occupants of the vehicle were treated at a private medical facility, while one was admitted a patient. The three cows involved in the accident were also killed.
Farah Khan, mother of the dead man, told Guyana Times she had known that her son was to travel to the Essequibo Coast, but she was not aware when he left home. She said the family received a telephone call at about 03:00h, informing them about the accident; and her husband rushed to the scene, only to see his son’s body lying motionless on the roadway. Assisted by public-spirited persons, her husband rushed the injured men to the Leonora Hospital, where her son was pronounced dead on arrival. He had sustained severe injuries to his head and other parts of his body.
The four other occupants of the car were referred to the Georgetown Public Hospital, but were taken to a private city hospital after medical treatment was not immediately forthcoming at the GPHC.
Relatives of the injured men have reported waiting for quite some time at the GPHC without their loved ones being attended to.
Riaz’s mother added that he had been the second of her four children, and had taught at the Islamic School ever since completing his secondary education.
Guyana Times understands that stray animals are prevalent on the western corridor between Vreed-en-Hoop, West Coast Demerara and Parika, East Bank Essequibo.
This information has brought into contention the scrapping of the Stray Animal Unit that was knocked under the table by Minister Khemraj Ramjattan upon his assumption to office. The Stray Cattle Unit had been implemented by former Home Affairs Minister Clement Rohee under the PPP/C regime. (Bhisham Mohamed)