CCTV footage shows startling images of Nismes smash-up

Dec 03, 2019 News

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By Shikema Dey

A civilian stood on the Nismes public road last Saturday, awaiting transportation, swinging her hands to and fro, seemingly unaware of the carnage she would soon bear witness to.

A silver-grey Toyota Premio, PTT 691, pulled out from the nearby gas station, waiting for another vehicle to pass on the opposite side of the thoroughfare before entering it on the same lane.
From a distance, to the far right of where the car is about to cross over, a bright light is seen approaching rapidly. It was minibus BYY 2981, packed with passengers. The bus was outfitted with powerful LED lights. Seconds later, the civilian took two steps back as the car and minibus collided, snuffing out the lives of four innocent persons and leaving a number of persons severely injured. The impact hurled both vehicles into a nearby trench, sending those in the gas station scattering for cover.

Maria Bisnauth,12, of Lot 125 Sideline Dam, Sister’s Village WBD; Rawle Glen, a 52-year-old hire car driver of Canal #1; Ayesha Sealy, 27, of Patentia Housing Scheme; and Zavira Jona, 22, of Patentia, WBD were all killed. The accident is still fresh on the minds of Guyanese, who bore witness to the horrific smash-up.
‘BOTH DRIVERS WERE AT FAULT’
Family members of the injured and deceased longed to know what exactly caused the accident. Police obtained CCTV footage obtained from the gas station and nearby homes. According to Divisional Commander, Simon McBean, ‘both drivers were at fault’.
According to him, from the footage seen, the minibus was at the time exceeding the speed limit. The bus was also outfitted with LED white lights when it should have the standard lights.
The car driver was also in the wrong, according to the Commander, the car was required to wait until the road was clear before heading into oncoming traffic. But instead, he turned recklessly into traffic without checking to ascertain whether the road was clear.
‘WE ASK THE BUS DRIVER TO SLOW DOWN’
The sister of the now dead 27-year-old Ayesha Sealy relayed to Kaieteur News that earlier in the day her two sisters, (Ayesha) and Lashony travelled in the same minibus and begged the driver to stop speeding.
Tiffany Sealy, recounted her sister saying “we in the bus praying ‘cause we thought we woulda never survive”, not knowing that her sister would re-enter the bus for the last time.

“We sat down at one of my friend and that same bus she got the accident with come through the street and my sister tell the driver, slow down, y’all be careful on the road, why y’all speeding, slow down, y’all gonna cause an accident on the road…Those were her exact words.”
The distraught woman stated that she received word that her sister met with an accident and rushed to the hospital where she got the news that her sister had died. According to her, she spoke to a male survivor in the accident who said that the impact had flung her sister out of the bus.
“She was in the third seat of the bus, and the guy said she flicked out of the window and the bus pinned her down.”
When asked to describe her sister, Tiffany said “Ayesha was very joyful, she lived life happy, she was the life of the party.” The woman worked as a Nurse Aid and has a 13-year-old son.

The news has still not hit home with Sealy’s mother who is currently overseas. According to Tiffany, her mother is ‘still in shock’ at the horrific way that her daughter met her demise.
The driver of the minibus was initially identified as 37-year-old Hensley Allen. He is currently hospitalized. However, Kaieteur News understands that he might not have been the driver at the time of the accident.
Commander McBean disclosed that someone had revealed that Allen was not at the wheel but was performing duties of conductor. “We got word that someone else in the bus switched with Allen and was driving”.
According to him, those allegations are being investigated.
When asked by this publication whether or not charges would be instituted against the driver of the bus, the commander noted that after investigations, advice will be sought from the Director of Public Prosecutions.
Meanwhile, those seriously injured in the accident are Salome Marks, 27, of Area 2 Wales, West Bank Demerara; Keisha Washington, 32, years of 5 Church Street, Stanleytown, West Bank Demerara; Lashona Alicia Anthony, 19, of 11 Nismes WBD; Avin Naranjan, 38, of 479 Goed Intent WBD; Devine Naranjan, 7, of Essequibo Islands; Aaron Narajan, 14, of Essequibo Islands; Mark Ambrose, 39, of 24 Goed Intent; Baroda Manual, 32, of Goed Intent ; Mark Anthony, 22, of Canal No.1 Polder, WBD; Boodram, 53, address unknown; Kerry Allen, 33, of Goed Intent, WBD; Patula Taylor, 40, of South Ruimveldt; and Shawn Thomas, 34, of Goed Intent, WBD.

 

 

 

 

 

 

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