An East Canje, Region Six (East Berbice-Corentyne) cattle farmer is now dead following a two-vehicle collision at Cotton Tree Public Road, West Coast Berbice (WCB), early on Monday morning.
The car that was driven by the 22-year-old driver
Dead is 60-year-old Carlton Maltay of Victoria Street, Cumberland, East Canje.
The crash occurred at about 02:00h at Cotton Tree Public Road, West Coast Berbice, Region Five (Mahaica-Berbice). At the time, Maltay was on his way home after dropping off a brother at the Cheddi Jagan International Airport (CJIA).
Maltay was driving a motor car bearing registration number PTT 7168, with two occupants: his sister Auria Maltay and his nephew Jurjan McAndrew.
According to the Police, Maltay was proceeding along the Cotton Tree Public Road at a fast rate and while negotiating a turn, he allegedly lost control of the car and collided with motor car PWW 5977, which was at the time being driven by a 22-year-old man from Bath Settlement, WCB.
As a result of the collision, Maltay and his two passengers received injuries about their bodies. They were subsequently pulled from the wreckage in an unconscious state and taken to Fort Wellington Public Hospital. The two passengers were treated and transferred to the New Amsterdam Public Hospital, where the woman was admitted as a patient.
The car that 60-year-old Carlton Maltay was driving
The 60-year-old man, on the other hand, was pronounced dead on arrival at Fort Wellington Public Hospital.
The driver of the other car that was involved in the accident was also treated and admitted at the Fort Wellington Public Hospital for observation, Police said. The two occupants in his vehicle were not injured.
According to Attorney-at-Law Joel Edmond, the 22-year-old driver is claiming that it was Maltay who failed to negotiate the turn and came into the path of his car, causing the collision.
Maltay’s wife, Michelle, a nurse attached to the New Amsterdam Hospital, said she spoke with her husband on the telephone at around 02:00h and he told her he was at Cotton Tree and would be home shortly.
“I see time pass so I start to wonder that he told me he was by Cotton Tree coming and he can’t reach yet. Anyhow, I go back to my bed and lay down. Then I get a call from Fort Wellington Hospital, the nurse said she was calling to tell me about the accident,” the grieving widow revealed.
Maltay said when she arrived at Fort Wellington Hospital, some of her colleagues insisted that she make arrangements for a Police officer to visit the hospital to carry out a breathalyser test on the young driver.
Reports are that the driver left the hospital and subsequently returned.
Maltay said she subsequently made contact with the traffic officer who was initially carrying out the investigations.
The 22-year-old driver is the son of a Bath Settlement goldsmith. Police are continuing their investigations. (G4)
