Farmer dies in West Berbice accident

…ex-Cop in custody

A farmer was on Thursday afternoon killed on the West Berbice Public Road, Region Six while riding home. Dead is Cleveland Fraser, also called “Dear Fish”, 73, of Weldaad Village, West Coast Berbice.

The vehicle involved in the accident is owned by the Guyana Revenue Authority and the driver is an ex-Police Officer.
Reports are the accident occurred at Washington, a short distance away from the Weldaad Police Station.
Police on Friday said the accident, which occurred at about 17:30h, involved minibus bearing registration plate PWW1865, driven by a 35-year-old resident of Golden Grove East Coast Demerara and the pedal cyclist, Fraser.
According to the Police, investigations revealed that the minibus was proceeding West along the southern carriageway reportedly at a fast rate while the cyclist was proceeding East along the northern side of the road.

Reports are the driver is alleging that the cyclist suddenly veered South into his path and was struck down. He was picked up in an unconscious state, taken to the Fort Wellington Public Hospital and was pronounced dead on arrival.
According to one of the now dead farmer’s daughters, Wonder Primo, her father who was a cash crop farmer, was dead when he was taken away from the scene.
“After we reach there, the hearse come like a half hour after and carry him away,” she related.
Another sister, Winifred Bentic, told this publication that she was able to speak with the driver and has a different account to that stated in the Police report.
The woman said she visited the scene of the accident on Friday morning when Police ranks took the driver, who is himself a former Police Officer, and now drives for the Guyana Revenue Authority.

According to Bentic, the driver showed investigators a spot claiming that it was there the impact occurred but it was untrue. The mark was still on the road to show where he knock him,” she explained.
Her other sister noted that when she visited the scene on Thursday, while her father’s body was still lying on the roadway, it was some distance from where the bus was.
“I go to the driver and say, “you hit down this man but look how far you drag this man.” It was a far was so like he knock the man and drag him…”
Bentic, on the other hand, said she was able to speak with one of the eyewitnesses.
“He told me he saw the accident, but he is not going to say anything because he don’t want to be involved with the Police. He say he see how the bus knock him from the back and pick him up and carry him and then pitch him off the bus.
When Guyana Times visited the scene there was a mark indicating where the bus had come to a halt. Eleven meters away another mark indicated when Fraser’s body was left and still a further eleven meters further a spot where the driver said he hit Fraser. However, sixty-four meters from where the bus had stopped there was debris on the road indicating that the impact occurred there.
Fraser leaves to mourn five children.
The Police said a breathalyzer test was conducted on the driver, who is in Police custody assisting with the investigation and no alcohol was found in his breath.