Family of student killed in minibus accident disputes driver’s account

…asks for thorough Police investigation

The family of 17-year-old Yujraj Ram, the Anna Regina Multilateral School student who tragically lost his life after being hit by a minibus, believes there are inconsistencies in the minibus driver’s story, and alleges that witnesses have provided a different account of what took place, leading to their request for a thorough investigation into the accident.
The fatal accident occurred earlier this week along the Dartmouth Public Road, Region Two (Pomeroon-Supenaam).
Speaking with Guyana Times, the teen’s uncle, Danraj Ram, said that during the visit to the scene, the minibus driver showed the police a specific spot in the road where he claimed the impact occurred.
However, Ram claimed that there was no visible evidence at that location to support the driver’s version.

He pointed out that about 15 to 20 feet away—at the side of the road—there were broken pieces of the minibus’s light and other parts, which he believes indicate the true point of impact.
Measurements were taken, but the driver continued to insist that the collision occurred at the original spot he identified.
Doodnauth Ram, the father of Yujraj, has also questioned the driver’s version of events.
He said that if his son had been hit in the middle of the road, as claimed, the evidence would reflect that. Instead, he pointed out that all the broken mirrors and parts from the minibus were found at the side of the road in the grass.
Furthermore, the teen’s slippers and money were recovered from the trench—some distance from where his body eventually landed.
The father also noted that the front passenger side of the bus was visibly damaged, which he alleges does not support the claim that Yujraj was hit in the centre of the roadway.
“If he was hit in the middle, why are all the broken mirrors and parts of the bus in the grass at the corner? His slippers and money were found in the trench. The front passenger side of the bus is damaged—not the middle. Nothing about this adds up,” he said.
One eyewitness told Guyana Times that Yujraj was not emerging from behind a bus, as claimed by the driver.
According to the witness, the teenager had been standing on the opposite side of the road, speaking with friends in the village when he saw the approaching minibus. He then ran across the road to stop the vehicle near the corner.
However, the speeding minibus struck him with such force that he was flung into a signpost and then into a nearby trench.
The witness firmly emphasized that at no point did Yujraj exit from behind any bus.
“He saw the bus coming and crossed the road to stop it. He was in the corner when the bus, which was speeding, hit him and flung him into a signpost and then into a trench. He didn’t come from behind any bus,” the eyewitness reported.
According to a Police report, Yujraj was crossing the road when he was struck by a minibus, and was rushed to the Charity Hospital but later pronounced dead.
Speaking with Guyana Times, the teen’s uncle, recounted the moments following the accident. He said the family received a call from the hospital around 3:00 p.m. and immediately rushed to Charity Hospital.
Ram and his father – the boy’s grandfather, arrived at the hospital within five minutes, and found Yujraj in the emergency section.

According to the uncle, they were informed that the teen had been involved in a vehicle accident and was in a semi-conscious state. However, just a few minutes later, medical personnel informed them that Yujraj had succumbed to his injuries.
Ram said during this time, the family was also troubled by what they saw as a lack of proper medical support.
He explained that there was no ambulance driver on duty to transfer the injured teen to the Suddie Hospital for further treatment, and the hospital’s x-ray machine was not functioning. It wasn’t until after Yujraj had passed that someone eventually arrived to transport him to Suddie Hospital.
Ram said too that they went to the police station afterwards, and waited over an hour and a half before an officer responded.
He added that he was told that a visit to the accident scene would take place the following day, and that a family member could accompany the officers.
However, despite calling repeatedly throughout the day, the family did not receive any response until late in the afternoon after they had reached out to a third party to intervene. Only then did the police arrange the site visit.
“They told us they would go to the scene the next day. We waited all day and had to call around just to get a response. It was only late yesterday [Wednesday] afternoon they contacted us to visit the scene…” Ram said.
The family is insisting on a full and transparent investigation into the circumstances surrounding the accident.
“We just want a thorough investigation and justice…Too many things are not adding up,” the father told this publication.
Police investigations are ongoing.