3 killed, 1 critical after drunken driver crashes into parked lorry

In the wee hours of Sunday morning, a car in which four friends were travelling crashed into a parked lorry at La Grange, West Bank Demerara, killing three of those friends and leaving the fourth in a critical state.

The dead men have been identified as 33- year-old Leroy Levans Jr of Nismes, WBD — a father of one, who had been preparing to go on vacation in the United States later this month; 25-year-old Devindra Hardyal, also called “Slice”, and 20-year-old Reshi Pasha, both of La Grange, WBD.
The fourth occupant of the car, 22-year-old David Bourne of Goed Fortuin, WBD, has been admitted a patient at the Georgetown Public Hospital (GPHC), after initially being treated at the West Demerara Regional Hospital for the injuries he sustained.
Levans, driver of the ill-fated vehicle, and Hardyal were reportedly pronounced dead on the spot, while Pasha took his last breath a few hours later.

Preliminary investigations revealed that the four men had been partying at Stanleytown, WBD prior to the accident. They then left the party to take Bourne home at Good Fortuin. Allegedly speeding at the time of the horrific accident, the vehicle became uncontrollable and collided with the parked lorry.
This publication understands that Sunday’s accident was not the first such incident involving a parked vehicle in the village of La Grange.
At the West Demerara Regional Hospital, Levans’s father, Pastor Leroy Levans, told Guyana Times that this loss of his son will have a great impact on him, since he is into cash crop farming. He explained that, sometime ago, his son had ventured off and established his own construction and maintenance business to support himself and 9-year-old daughter.

Pastor Levans told this publication that Leroy Levans Jr leaves to mourn his daughter, mother, father and a sibling. “These things come as a test to your faith,” he declared.
This newspaper also met briefly with relatives of the late Reshi Pasha, who related that they were still trying to come to grips with the loss of this young man. Guyana Times was told that he had been brought up by his aunt and uncle, who would advise him to spend more time at home. The aunt, Jaiwantie Pasha, said the late Reshi had two other siblings, and she related that her son and her now dead nephew had grown up like brothers.
Meanwhile, relatives of the late Devindra Hardyal have said he had fathered a young daughter who is dependent on him.
They were especially in a state of distress since Farook Bacchus, who perished by drowning while trying to save his daughter and grandson, had been a relative of theirs (see story on page ).
Hardyal’s grandmother, Saviram Bacchus, related that she had taken care of him since he was three years old. She noted that her grandson had been planning to marry the mother of his daughter in December.
Hardyal’s sister, “Marsha”, explained that she would often tell her brother to remain at home, but on that fateful night, his friend had collected him to go on a “lime”.
She added that the four males who were involved in the accident would often hang out on the road together. “Me ain’t got no more body; it’s just me and he alone. My mother go away and leave us, and my father (committed suicide),” the grieving sister pointed out.
It has been alleged that the four men had been drinking heavily at the party before leaving for the Goed Fortuin.
One relative suggested that the men may have been heading to a popular night spot in Pouderoyen, WBD to continue the drinking spree. When this newspaper visited Bourne’s Goed Fortuin, WBD home, his relatives were not available to comment on the tragic incident. (Shemuel Fanfair)