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Another escaped prisoner jumps to death in Mahaicony River
The Mahaicony River may have claimed the life of another prisoner who escaped from the nearby Mahaicony Police Station.
Fifty-three-year- old Collin Sealey disappeared under water after plunging into the river to avoid recapture by police yesterday. He is believed drowned despite speculation that he might have survived the fast-flowing waters.
Colin Sealey
Police using fishing boats combed the river but found no trace of Sealey.
Colin Sealey was arrested by the police about 16:30 hours on Tuesday during investigations into allegations of threatening behaviour, assault and indecent exposure.
Yesterday’s incident occurred around 11:15 hours as Sealey was being escorted to court.
Police in a statement said that a police rank went to the lock-ups to take out Colin Sealey, a fisherman of Zeskenderen, Mahaicony, East Coast Demerara, to take him to the Cove and John Magistrate’s Court.
During this process, Sealey overpowered the policeman just as he was about to be handcuffed and escaped out of the station.
“He ran to the bridge across the Mahaicony River from where he jumped into the river and is feared drowned,” the police statement said.
Eyewitnesses recalled seeing Sealey, called ‘Tish’, swimming north in the Mahaicony River.
From all appearances he became tired and held on to one of the ropes that was holding back a fishing boat moored in the river.
But the current of the river was so strong that Sealey was having difficulty keeping himself from drifting further out into the river.
“He could not pull heself up. If you see wha de water been doing,” one resident explained.
One eyewitness said that Sealey then tried to swim to the eastern bank of the river but turned back when he saw that the police were waiting there for him.
It was at this time that he apparently encountered more difficulty and went under.
“He mek two duck and den go down,” the resident added.
There are reports that, while running away Sealey vowed to die rather than be locked up.
But some other residents believe that Sealey who they say is familiar with the Mahaicony River may have played possum to lead the police astray.
“Me nah believe (he drown) up to now. Me gat fuh see he body. He nat no easy man,” another resident said.
Sealey’s reputed wife of five years, Allison Leitch, is leaving his fate up to God.
She told this newspaper that she was taking a meal for Sealey when she was stopped by a neighbour who told her that the man had thrown himself “overboard”.
“I go up the road and I began to shed a little tears and his nephew tell me to go home and stop crying.”
Leitch also confirmed that Sealey is strong swimmer who previously had to do a lot of it in the Essequibo and in the interior.
“I cannot say what happen to him. I putting my trust in God. I don’t know if he gone down or if he make it,” Leitch said, adding that she is hoping that he faked drowning just to avoid capture.
Sealey’s reputed wife Allison Leitch speaks with police investigators yesterday.
Up to late last night there was still no sign of Sealey.
Leitch could not help remembering a similar incident in the Mahaicony River when she heard what Sealey had done.
In September 2009, Godwin Maxwell plunged to his death in the Mahaicony River after he was remanded to prison when he appeared before a magistrate on tax evasion charges.
His body was recovered two days later at the mouth of the river.
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