Fleeing driver arrested at DHB hours after fatal hit-and-run

…widow alleges murder over ongoing feud

Hours after fatally striking 23-year-old Alex Persaud of Timehri Base Road, East Bank Demerara (EBD), with his motor lorry, the fleeing driver was arrested at the overpass in the vicinity of the Demerara Harbour Bridge (DHB).
According to police reports, Persaud had exited motor lorry GAK 9080 when it was struck by another lorry, GAC 5784, driven by the suspect, David Ragnauth of Kalicharran Road, Soesdyke, EBD.

As a result of the impact, the truck driven by the suspect collided with Persaud, who was at the time speaking with his boss on the corner of the road. Persaud sustained injuries to his head and body and was later pronounced dead at the Diamond Regional Hospital.
The lorry involved in the hit-and-run accident was later found locked and abandoned at Sarah Johanna, EBD. On Thursday, the Guyana Times caught up with the dead man’s widow.
Selina Lumelino, who was inconsolable, related that at the time of the accident, she and her husband were heading to Georgetown, and it was on their way that Persaud’s boss contacted him to collect his payment.
As such, she explained that they stopped at Supply, where Persaud exited the vehicle and crossed the public road to meet with his employer. While they were conversing, she stated that the speeding truck driven by the suspect collided with GAK 9080 and then struck her husband.
“We done reach over the road and stand up till in the corner and the truck know he down and pitch he into a car and then land facing upwards…By the time I come out and run over the road, he didn’t respond when I call out to he… he turned over an cough out blood and that was it… we carrying he to the Diamond Hospital but he was already gone…” the aggrieved wife stated in the presence of her mother and other relatives.
She believes that her husband was targeted by the suspect with whom her husband had an ongoing court case. She recalled that the two men had known each other through work, but things turned sour after Persaud was given the task of supervising other workers, including Ragnauth.
The suspect was reportedly not happy about taking instructions from Persaud and started to give him a hard time. However, Persaud subsequently left the job but soon after was accused of theft.
“When Alex left the work, he parked the truck at Kwakwani, where he used to work, but Javid (allegedly) stole some parts from the truck and blamed Alex. Alex didn’t say anything; he just stayed quiet… Every time Alex wants to see him, he does run and hide.”
Nonetheless, a few days ago, one of Alex’s cousins was working on the truck when he was physically assaulted by Ragnauth. This led to a heated argument and ultimately a scuffle between the two men.
Lumelino stated that the matter was reported and both her husband and Ragnauth were charged. In light of this development, Persaud was threatened several times. The duo was expected to return to court on Monday, August 18. It is under this pretext that the widow believed that her husband was murdered.
She described the now dead man as a husband anyone would want to have. “He was loving and kind, and he was everything to me.”
Meanwhile, the suspect who reportedly failed to stop after the collision fled the scene but was apprehended during a police operation. He remains in custody as investigations continue.