Teacher dies after minibus overturns while overtaking another vehicle

…3 children among 6 injured

A 30-year-old teacher attached to Dolphin Secondary School lost her life on Tuesday morning following a road accident along the Diamond New Interlink Road, East Bank Demerara (EBD). Dead is Tineka Hicks of Great Diamond, EBD. According to the Guyana Police Force (GPF), the accident occurred at about 08:30h and involved minibus BAH 4679, which was being driven by a 52-year-old resident of Diamond. The vehicle was carrying seven occupants at the time. Initial investigations revealed that the minibus was proceeding north along the western driving lane of the Diamond New Interlink Road during heavy rainfall, and while the driver was attempting to overtake another vehicle, he allegedly lost control of the minibus.

The vehicle subsequently toppled onto its right side, skidded in a north-westerly direction and came to a stop in a drain on the western side of the roadway.
Several occupants sustained injuries as a result of the crash, but Hicks was reportedly pinned inside the minibus. Emergency Medical Technicians (EMTs) responded to the scene, and Hicks was examined by a doctor who pronounced her dead at the scene. Her body was later escorted to Memorial Gardens Funeral Home, where it is awaiting a post-mortem examination (PME). The six other occupants, comprising three students and three adults, were taken to the Diamond Regional Hospital. They were examined by doctors, treated for their injuries and subsequently discharged. Police said two breathalyser tests were administered to the driver, and no trace of alcohol was detected in his system. The driver remains in police custody as investigations continue. Meanwhile, Education Minister Sonia Parag visited the relatives of Hicks on Tuesday and extended condolences on behalf of the ministry. In a statement, the Ministry said Hicks was on her way to work when the accident occurred.
“Minister Parag and the entire Ministry of Education family extend our deepest, most heartfelt condolences to Ms Hicks’s loved ones, her colleagues, and her students. Her dedication to her classroom and the lives she touched will not be forgotten,” the statement noted.