1 killed, 3 injured in Land of Canaan smash-up

The eldest grandchild of popular Soesdyke businessman, Chandralall Deokie was in the wee hours of Monday killed following a three-vehicle collision at Land of Canaan on the East Bank of Demerara. The accident has also left three persons hospitalised with one in critical condition.
Dead is 20-year-old Mahendra Ryan Deokie of Soesdyke, EBD, while Emily Persaud and Sasha Mohanlall, also of Soesdyke, EBD, were treated at the Diamond Diagnostic Centre.
The third person, Nicolas Morrison, of Kuru Kururu, Soesdyke-Linden Highway, is clinging to life at the Georgetown Public Hosptial.
Based on reports received, the accident occurred at about 03:00h and involved a minibus, a Honda CRV and the car Deokie was driving.
From information gathered, Deokie and his friend were heading home after a night out at a popular club on the West Coast of Demerara when it is alleged that he lost control of the motorcar and crashed into the two other vehicles which were heading in the opposite direction.
Deokie and Morrison were reportedly pinned in the wrecked vehicle. It took family members, who rushed to the scene, and public-spirited citizens some time to pull them from the mangled car. They were then rushed to the Diamond Diagnostic Centre. While there, Deokie succumbed while receiving medical attention.
Morrison, who was in an unconscious state, was transferred to the GPHC due to the severity of his injuries. While information remains sketchy about the circumstances surrounding the accident, the drivers of the two other vehicles were detained at the Madewini Police Outpost as the traffic ranks continue their probe.
At the home of the young man, his parents were grief-stricken. His grandparents were trying to come to grips with reality and his friends were in a state of shock and disbelief. His grandfather, Chandralall Deokie, explained that he received a telephone call at about 03:00h informing him of the accident and he rushed to the scene.
He noted that his grandson had to be pulled from the wreckage but although there were minor scratches and bruises on his body, he believed that he might have suffered head injuries.
He explained that both he and his close friend, Nicholas, were in an unconscious state. The two young lads who were with them sustained bodily injuries but were conscious.
The grandfather told this publication that he knew his grandson was dead after looking at the body language of the doctors, who tried everything to resuscitate him.
The young man’s father, Ravin Deokie, who is also a businessman, told Guyana Times that his son only returned from their interior logging operations on Sunday morning.
“He called me and tell me that he wanted to come out…then he called back and said don’t worry… then again he call back and say he is ready to come out and that I must collect him at Linden,” the father said.
The grieving man stated that he never stopped his son from going anywhere with his friends but always warned him not to drink and drive.
“He left home in a taxi to go out but apparently, he called Nicholas and they reach up at a club in Cornelia Ida.”
Guyana Times was told that Deokie boarded a taxi but then came out and collected the keys to Morrison’s car. The distressed father added that after he received the news of the accident, he asked if his son was okay but did not get a response.
In near tears, he added, “I always give him his freedom… He called me around midnight and asked me if we were heading back to the backdam and I told him yes and that he must come home and get some rest”.
“He was my backbone and strength… when I am out, he is in the interior managing things,” the father cried.
An aunt, Camille Deokie, added that her nephew was a “gem”.
“When I got the telephone call, I asked if Ryan was okay but his friend did not respond to my question… at that time I knew that it was serious… When we arrived at the scene, we saw the wreckage and I burst into tears.”
She noted that the family will regroup and deal with the shock – one that will last a lifetime. The young man was a member of the Soesdyke Cricket Team. He attended the Camille Institute for Business and Science Studies (CIBSS) and after completing his secondary education, he joined the family business.
He leaves to mourn his parents, grandparents, two siblings and other relatives. A post-mortem is expected to be performed on his body on Wednesday to determine the cause of death. (Bhisham Mohamed)