Runaway driver leaves passengers in car after killing teen on the road

Dec 22, 2014 News

By Romila Boodram

A teenage boy was killed and two of his friends injured after a speeding car ploughed into them on the Providence Public Road, East Bank Demerara, at around 00:30 hrs yesterday.

Runaway driver, Asif Khan

The friends were hurled into a nearby trench and Parmanand Deokaran, 18, of Lot 233 Success, East Coast Demerara, who sustained head injuries, was pronounced dead at the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation (GPHC).
His friends, Davendra Mangal, 20, of Lot 27 Better Hope, ECD and Kayshane Ramnarine, 17, of Lot 184 Good Hope, ECD, are nursing injuries at separate hospitals and in stable condition.
Nicholas Verasar, who was with the trio at the time of the accident, escaped unhurt.
The driver fled the scene, leaving his vehicle, bearing registration number PRR 555, with two passengers still inside. Police sources identified the driver as Asif Khan of Bagotstown, East Bank Demerara. His passengers have been detained but theyeventually located Khan.
According to reports, the four friends had just left the Princess International Hotel’s casino and were waiting on a taxi on the East Bank Demerara Public Road when tragedy struck.
Nicholas Verasar told Kaieteur News that he was sitting on a concrete structure in front of the hotel while his friends stood on the road, trying to flag down passing taxis.
“They were facing south and I was facing north so I could have seen all the vehicles that were heading up the East Bank. My friends were laughing and talking and I see a car, swaying from side to side of the Public Road, heading south,” Verasar said.

Dead: Parmanand Deokaran

Fearing for his friends’ safety, Verasar said he rushed to them but only managed to grab Mangal.
“After I pull him away, I tried to pull Kayshane but my hand slipped and the car was already close so I run back but it end up hitting all three of them and pitch them in the trench,” the teenager recalled.
At Parmanand Deokaran’s home yesterday, his relatives were still in a state of disbelief over his death.
His mom, Jasmattie Deokaran, said that her son, who was employed as a welder at Vryheid’s Lust, East Coast Demerara left to attend his staff party.
“One of his friends called me and tell me about the accident and when I went to Public Hospital, he was already dead. They had him wrapped up already.”
“My son takes care of us. He helps me take care of his sisters. He is not a bad boy. He doesn’t drink or smoke. He only went to the party to show his face.”
Deokaran, who only celebrated his 18th birthday last month, was the fourth of her seven children.

Nicolas Verasar, the teenager who escaped unhurt

Meanwhile, Davendra Mangal, who sustained a gash to the head that required over 44 stitches, said that he and his friends had left the staff party sometime around 22:00 hrs on Saturday after which they went to a club in the city.
“The club was boring so we went to Baroombar. Parmanand really enjoyed himself there. We eventually left and went to Princess Casino because Parmanand said he wanted to have fun and I have a membership card for the casino so I took them.”
Mangal, who was admitted to the Woodlands Hospital, said that all he can remember is walking on the Public Road with his two friends.
“After we left the casino, we went walking and then next thing I know, I was in the hospital.”
At the GPHC yesterday, Kayshane Ramnarine’s mother, Indira said that it was her nephew who had informed her of the accident.
She said that she immediately travelled to the hospital where she met with her son, who was bleeding profusely from one of his legs.
Police statistics have repeatedly shown that pedestrians are the most vulnerable road users.