Pedal cyclist killed after being struck by minibus

A pedal cyclist is now the country’s latest road fatality after being struck by a minibus at Planters Hall Public Road, Mahaicony, East Coast Demerara (ECD), on Sunday evening.
Dead is 57-year-old Terrence D’Aguiar of Lot 2 Cottage, Mahaicony, ECD.
According to reports, at about 18:00h, the minibus, BXX 3501, which was driven by its owner, a 49-year-old resident of BB Eccles, East Bank Demerara (EBD), was proceeding west along the southern side of the public road while D’Aguiar was in front of the vehicle, peddling his bicycle in the same direction.
Police on Monday said that the minibus driver claimed that D’Aguiar made a sudden “right turn” (south to north) and that this caused the front left side of his vehicle to collide with the man.
He alleged that as a result of the collision, the pedal cyclist fell onto the road where he received visible injuries to his head and to the neck.
According to Police, the driver further claimed that he immediately sought to render assistance and picked up D’Aguiar from the roadway to transport him to the Mahaicony Cottage Hospital, ECD.
Police stated that when the driver arrived with the injured man, the doctor on duty examined D’Aguiar and pronounced the pedal cyclist dead on arrival.
A breathalyser test was conducted on the driver but no trace of alcohol was detected, Police said. The minibus driver is in Police custody and assisting with investigations.
Only on Saturday, former national cyclist Jude Bentley was killed in an early morning accident on the Rupert Craig Highway in the vicinity of the Russian Embassy turn.
The accident occurred sometime around 05:30h when 41-year-old Bentley, who owns Jude’s Bike Shop on Robb Street, was riding a bicycle, heading up the East Coast at the time.
A Land Cruiser, which was driven by retired Rear Admiral Gary Best, struck down Bentley.
According to Traffic Chief Linden Isles, Best was subjected to two breathalyser tests and each revealed that he was way above the legal limit for alcohol consumption when operating any vehicle.