A speeding pickup truck attached to the Mahaica Police Station driven by a Police Constable crashed into a house at De Hoop, Mahaica after the driver reportedly swerved to avoid hitting a cow.
The Police pickup turned turtle in the yard
Acting Police Commissioner David Ramnarine has ordered an investigation into the accident, which has left three officers with minor injuries and hundreds of thousands of dollars in damage.
The Police, in a statement, said the accident occurred about 08:15h on Tuesday on the De Hoop Public Road, East Coast Demerara (ECD), which resulted in the Force’s vehicle, PWW 5411, acquired through a grant from the Chinese Government, being extensively damaged.
“The vehicle, driven by a Police Constable under the command of a Police Corporal, was proceeding west along the southern side of the road when the driver reportedly swerved further south from a cow; in the process, he allegedly lost control and the vehicle careened off the road and came to a halt after it collided with a house and turned turtle. The two ranks, along with another, who was seated in the back seat, received minor injuries. They were taken to the Mahaicony Cottage Hospital, where they were treated and sent away,” the Police stated.
It was reported that no one was at home at the time of the incident. In the past, the Police have been accused of abusing their power when it comes to using the roadways and adhering to traffic regulations. Quite often, with the lack of an emergency, Police Officers would disregard stop signs, traffic lights and other traffic signs to avoid being stuck in any amount of traffic.
A close-up of the pickup
In November of last year, the Chinese Government donated 55 pickup trucks, 44 motorcycles, 35 All-Terrain Vehicles as well as 5 buses to the Guyana Police Force. The entire donation amounted to US$2.6 million and was paired with scores of computers and other technical equipment, all aimed at improving the efficiency of the country’s crime-fighting force.
One day after the donation, a Police Officer in B Division (Berbice) crashed one of the pickup trucks. Investigations proved that the Officer was overtaking a lorry when he collided with a car and caused the accident. He was in the company of another officer when the vehicle he was driving, PWW 5452, collided with motor car PJJ 5270 on Cane Field Public Road, East Canje, Berbice.
He was dragged before the courts where he was charged with dangerous driving, placed on $20,000 bail, and transferred to A Division (Georgetown-East Bank Demerara).
Last month, Public Security Minister Khemraj Ramjattan had cautioned ranks against careless use of the vehicles, warning that charges would be laid against them for the misuse of same. The Police Force said that several ranks who were involved in accidents, which caused damage to the vehicles, were all made to pay for their repair.
Another rank in Linden, Region 10 (Upper Demerara-Berbice) was also in an accident with one of the GPF’s vehicles a day after the vehicles were handed over to that region. Ramjattan, who was back in December speaking at the rolling-out ceremony of the vehicles hosted at the Tactical Services Unit (TSU), warned “these vehicles are going to give us use for many years ahead, but please take care of them! Too many times I notice even senior ranks crashing and some even dying as a result of bad driving”.
The Minister had further warned that “standard operating procedures are now being implemented, one of which is if you drive badly and damage the vehicles, you will be charged.”
