A mother will find it difficult to find any joy in today’s observance of Christmas, following the demise of her first born, who was killed in a hit-and-run accident over the weekend at Bagotstown, East Bank Demerara.
The dead pedestrian has been identified as 38-year-old carpenter and mason Shahabb “Vincent” Scippeo, who met his demise late Saturday into Sunday morning, as he was struck down by a minibus that was reportedly speeding at the
The cake and ginger beer that the deceased man never got to consume for his 38th birthday
time.
Police indicated on Sunday that they were hunting the driver of minibus BLL 3140 which was reportedly involved in the accident at Bagotstown. According to information obtained from investigators, the minibus was proceeding south at a fast rate when Scippeo, a resident of the nearby village of Peter’s Hall, allegedly crossed the public road from west to east and was said to have been hit by the front and centre of the bus.
Scippeo was reportedly flung onto the road as a result of the impact, and was dragged for several feet before the vehicle came to a stop. Reports are that the
The dead pedestrian’s bag that the mother says she removed from the scene with his lunch packed inside
minibus BLL 3140 plies Route 32 (G/town-Parika), and its driver, whom investigators identified as Dumaine Wallcott, fled the scene sometime after the accident. This publication was told that the body of the dead man was on the road for at least one hour before it was removed from the accident scene.
Guyana Times was told that it was in this window period that the driver was allowed to escape. Information received however, indicated that the conductor has been taken into custody, and the bus has been impounded at the Providence
Dead: Vincent Scippeo
Police Station.
At the time of the accident, the bus was allegedly overloaded.
Scippeo had been rushed in an unconscious state to the East Bank Demerara Hospital at Diamond, where he was pronounced dead on arrival. His body is presently at the Lyken Funeral Home awaiting a post-mortem examination as police continue to pursue leads to find the elusive driver.
Mother’s anguish
When Guyana Times visited Shahabb’s mother, Zurena Scippeo, she was still sitting in disbelief over the death of her son. She claimed that up to late Sunday afternoon she was not allowed to see her son’s body, since she was allegedly sent to the parlour without a Police escort.
“3 O’clock this (Sunday) morning the Police make me a fool. Got me on the road, and de man at Lyken Funeral Parlour said, ‘You can’t see the dead without a police’,” she bemoaned.
The domestic worker, who has been a single parent for over 20 years following her husband’s death, recalled the many early mornings she would rise up and prepare meals for her son, who would venture out early to ply his trade in carpentry, masonry and painting. In outbursts of great frustration, the grieving mother deemed her son’s death as “cruel”, since the driver did not render assistance.
She also said she is dissatisfied with the response of the Police, who reportedly told her that several ranks were sent away on Sunday morning to be stationed at patrol for the passage of the President.
“This is slackness going on in this country! You got a dead and can’t see the dead at the mortuary,” the mother stated.
It was only on Friday that the carpenter had celebrated his birthday, but he never got to eat the cake that his mother bought him, nor the ginger beer that she purchased for him to consume on Saturday, as he was working long hours.
In fact, the mother opened the sealed cake when this publication visited her on Sunday.
“Me want to know if that driver would give me back a son, a thirty-eight-year-old son… You know what is it to lose your first-born?” the mother expressed.
At the same time, she called on Police to curb the unfavourable behaviour of many bus drivers, who, according to her, inflict upon passengers loud and obscene music, speeding and overloading of their buses.
She vowed to pursue all avenues to get justice for her son.
His friends recalled that he was a quiet and reserved individual, who often kept to himself and supported his mother. The young men who were visiting Scippeo’s mother noted that they were in utter shock that their childhood friend had met his demise at such a young age.
“When I hear he get knock down I was surprised, because I know he does walk at all the back roads just to avoid the main road,” his friend “Nick” told this publication.
The dead man leaves to mourn three siblings, his mother, other relatives and friends.
