Uitvlugt taxi driver killed 2 weeks before son’s wedding

– driver released on $300,000 bail

By LaWanda McAllister

Fifty-four-year-old Kenneth Smith, a taxi driver of Ocean View Uitvlugt, West Coast Demerara (WCD), who was struck down and killed by a University of Guyana (UG) student at the De Willem Public Road, WCD, was preparing for his son’s wedding when he met his demise.

On the day in question at about 17:45h, motor pick-up bearing registration number GPP 8150 driven by 39-year-old Sahadeo Singh of Hydronie, East Bank Essequibo (EBE), was proceeding along the De Willem Public Road in a line of traffic when the driver alleged that he indicated that he was making a turn into Harry Kissoon Street.
In the process of doing so, the UG student who was driving PZZ 9052 lost control of his vehicle and collided with the motor pick-up before crashing through a concrete fence and eventually colliding with smith and 43-year-old Rampaul Sursen who were standing in the yard.
As a result of the collision, both men sustained injuries about their bodies. Smith, however, succumbed while receiving treatment at the hospital while Sursen remains hospitalised.

Meanwhile, on Monday Smith’s wife Sharada Lall told the media that her husband left home to purchase a lottery ticket, and promised her that he would be returning very shortly. Ten minutes later, his wife received news that her husband was involved in a horrific accident.
“Me and he was sitting there in the afternoon, and he told me that he going and by the lottery… he said he coming just now, he coming back now. We ordered two sheep and so the person was bringing the sheep and he tell me that the person taking too long so he gone. He said if they come before, call him and he gon come…less than ten minutes I get message that a car hit him down,” the tearful woman said.
Lall said her husband was an exceptional man and should not have met his demise in such a manner.
“My husband had no impression of death… as my religion I believe in untimely death, and I know that my husband time didn’t reach. I am telling you through my heart and soul, he will live within me, all the day of my life. It is really, really hard to face this…”, she explained.
The dead man’s wife said her husband was a provider and a great father, and deserved to see his son get married.
“He was preparing for his son’s wedding two weeks from now. He always talked about his son’s wedding. He was preparing, he was cleaning, he was doing everything. This is hard, this is really, really hard.”
The woman is calling for justice to be served.
“I need justice, I want justice to prevail. I don’t want anything; I don’t want sympathy from nobody. My husband is already gone. I don’t want nobody to come and do nothing, I don’t want nobody money, I am not in need of anything because this nonsense needs to be stopped because they are killing innocent lives on the road…”, the woman said.
Meanwhile, the driver of the car at the time of the accident, Tyree Li-A-Ping appeared at the Vreed-en-Hoop Magistrate’s Court on Tuesday where he was slapped with a causing death by dangerous driving charge.
He reportedly pleaded not guilty to the charge when it was read to him by Magistrate Faith McGusty. As such, he was granted bail in the sum of $300,000 and will make his next court appearance on August, 11, 2021.