Brothers die in EBD smash-up

Two brothers lost their lives after the vehicle in which they were travelling collided with a truck along the Friendship, East Bank Demerara, Public Road on Saturday.

Dead: Jonnel Armstrong
Dead: Jonnel Armstrong
Dead: Phillip Armstrong
Dead: Phillip Armstrong

Dead are Jonnel Armstrong, 23 and Phillip Armstrong, 21, of Watooka, Mackenzie, Linden.
Reports are the two young men along with another male friend were heading to the mining town of Linden when the collision occurred.
Guyana Times understands that the RAV 4, driven by one of the brothers, was moving at a fast rate and might have collided with the truck while negotiating a turn.
The three young men were pulled from the wreckage and were taken to the Diamond Diagnostic Centre, where the Armstrong brothers were pronounced dead on arrival. The name of the injured man was not immediately available but he is said to be in a critical state.
Dr Pansy Armstrong, mother of the two dead young men, who is the Regional Health Officer of Region 10 (Upper Demerara-Berbice) when contacted was too distraught to speak but confirmed that her two sons were killed in the accident. Guyana Times understands that the older Armstrong was an aeronautical engineer while the other was a medical student. The men were reportedly heading to Linden to assist their mother in repainting her home.
They were described by many as quiet and quite intelligent young men who were well respected in their community. Close friends and family members took to social media expressing their shock as the news spread about the death of the two young men.
When contacted, Traffic Chief, Dion Moore told this newspaper that an investigation has been launched into the fatal accident. Upon the completion of the investigation, he will be in a better position to release the facts.
He noted, however, that initial reports indicate there was a collision between a truck and a 4-runner. The truck was heading to Georgetown while the 4-runner was heading in the opposite direction. The driver of the truck was arrested and is assisting the Police in their investigations. Their bodies are at the Lyken Funeral Home awaiting post-mortem examinations.