Bus driver charged with dangerous driving after car forced into ditch

The minibus driver who it was alleged caused a car to run off the La Grange Public Road and into a nearby drain on Sunday is to appear in court on a dangerous driving charge.

According to the Guyana Police Force public relations officer, Jairam Ramlakhan, the man was detained later on the day of the accident and was released yesterday. He is scheduled for a court hearing on July 2 on the charge of dangerous driving.

The minibus driver has since denied all allegations that he was driving dangerously or that he was the driver responsible for the car ending up in the drain.

At the time of the incident, there were five occupants in the car including a four-year-old boy. No one was seriously injured.

The accident took place minutes to two on Sunday afternoon. According to the driver of the car – PTT 8284 - and eyewitnesses, a red Route #31 ‘pit-bull’ bus was speeding while negotiating a serpentine section of the road from the southern direction and encroached onto the lane of the car which was proceeding northwards, forcing it off the road and into a drain. The bus driver instead of stopping to render assistance, fled the scene.

According to the driver of the car, Trevor (only name given), he and the other occupants were on their way to get haircuts at a barbershop in Bagotville (the village after La Grange) but after they found all the barbershops closed, they were on their way back home when the accident occurred. “I coming from the barbershop and all I see is this red bus appear round this turn with a full speed. If me didn’t swerve out, he would ah crash into we,” Trevor recounted

Residents of La Grange say that the driver is known for his reckless driving and therefore they try to avoid travelling with his bus.

The child along with the other occupants of the car were taken to the West Demerara Regional Hospital where they were kept for observation for several hours before being sent away.