Two teens dead, several injured after bus turns turtle

Jul 20, 2021 News

Kaieteur News – Two teenagers are dead and several persons are injured after the bus in which they were travelling in turned turtle several times at around 22:30hrs on Sunday along the Diamond Public Road, East Bank Demerara (EBD). The bus, with registration plate BXX 7256, was involved in the accident and was driven by Kevon Moore, 23, of Five Door Koker Dam, Land of Canaan, East Bank Demerara. The deceased are Aalyiah Edwards, 18, and Anthony Persaud, 18, both of Land of Canaan, East Bank Demerara.

Dead: Aalyiah Edwards

Kaieteur News understands that the minibus had left the Georgetown seawall and was proceeding south along the eastern carriageway of the Diamond Public Road at a very fast rate when the driver lost control of it. The minibus reportedly turned turtle several times and eventually came to a halt in a south-eastern direction.
Debris and bodies were seen scattered along the road some distance from the minibus as screams of agonies were heard from the victims who were severely injured. Broken Guinness bottles were seen around the bus and a cooler was seen in the front seat of the minibus.
According to eyewitnesses, persons were seen “pitching” through the windows of the minibus as it toppled and the driver was pinned under the bus.
Edwards and Persaud were pronounced dead at the scene as Emergency Medical Technicians (EMT) and public-spirited citizens tried to assist the injured persons.

Dead: Anthony Persaud.

Among the injured are 18-year-old Sabrina Corlette of Hyde Park Timehri, East Bank Demerara, who suffered an open fracture dislocation to the right ankle and head injuries; 18 year-old Seth Adams of Schoonard, West Coast Demerara, who sustained deep abrasion injuries to the right leg and 17 year-old Edgar Dublin of Land of Canaan, East Bank Demerara, who suffered abrasions to the shoulders and back.
Currently in critical conditions are 16-year-old Michael James of Koker Dam Land of Canaan, East Bank of Demerara, who suffered head injuries and Johnny Persaud, who suffered head injuries and chest contusion. They were all seen and examined by doctors and admitted at the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation (GPHC).
Other injured persons are 23-year-old Jessie Wishart, 20-year-old Joel Wishart, 18-year-old Odarry Gonsalves, 17-year-old Shane Argyle and 18-year-old Valencia George, all of Land of Canaan, East Bank Demerara.
A breathalyzer test was conducted on the driver and he had 0.039 and 0.037 micrograms of alcohol in his breath. He is currently in custody assisting with further investigations.
According to police, the driver was not the owner of the minibus. The owner of the minibus has been identified as Frank Fordyce.