Latest update April 7th, 2025 6:08 AM
Seven road deaths in 10 days
— teen biker killed in accident along Linden Highway
Salim Yusuf, the taxi driver killed while on his way to make a pick-up
Well known teacher Colin Bynoe, who presently in custody after being involved in the accident that took Yusuf’s life
Kaieteur News
By Shervin Belgrave
A 17-year-old motorcyclist is now the seventh road fatality in the last ten days after he crashed into a car on Saturday along the Silver Hill Public Road, Linden-Soesdyke Highway.
Dead is Stanton Garraway of Kairuni Village, Linden-Soesdyke Highway. The youth met his demise around 14:25Hrs while reportedly speeding north along the western side of the road. According to police investigators he had crashed into a hire car driven by 50-year-old Augustine Klass, a taxi driver of the same village.
Investigations revealed that Klass was driving out of a trail along the highway and had suddenly turned south onto the Silver Hill road into Garraway’s path. Garraway could not slow down in time and ended up slamming into the car. The impact flung him onto the paved road where he remained motionless with notable body and head injuries. The hire car was badly damaged too and its driver, Klass was injured as well. Both Klass and Garraway were said to be in a semi-conscious state when eyewitnesses rushed to assist them. They were placed in a passing car and rushed to the Linden Hospital but Garraway was pronounced dead on arrival. Klass was still alive and doctors noted that he too had suffered severe head injuries and transferred him to the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation (GPHC) where he is presently admitted and receiving treatment.
Stanton Garraway, the teen motorcyclist was killed road accident on Saturday afternoon
As investigations continue it should be noted that thee last ten days has been very deadly as it relates to road fatalities. Prior to Garraway’s demise, six other persons were killed in road accidents from September 15 to Sunday September 25. It began with the death of Nigel Cush, 45, a city businessman of Roxanne Burnham Gardens.
Cush was killed around 01:30hrs on September 15, while heading home in his Toyota RAV4. A sand truck driven by Aslom Masmood of Supply East Bank Demerara had jumped a red light at the junction of Cemetry Road and Mandela Avenue and bulldozed his car into a light pole, crushing him inside. To date police are yet to disclose whether or not the sand truck driver has been charged.
Ganesh Choonilall, a taxi driver currently behind bars on remand for causing the death of Alli by dangerous driving.
Ameer Alli, a greens vendor, killed in a hit and run along the Essequibo Coast, Region two.
Later that evening between 20:30 and 20:45hrs, a greens vendor, Ameer Alli,63, of Lot 30 Adventure, Essequibo Coast, Region 2 was killed in a hit and run accident. The accident, occurred at Adventure Public Road on the Essequibo Coast and according to reports Alli, who was last seen alive moments earlier on the eastern side of the public road, was reportedly on his way to the home of a family friend when he was killed. The man was proceeding north along the thoroughfare and was struck down by a motorcar which was proceeding in the opposite direction.
The driver identified as Ganesh Choonilall, 35 had fled the scene but police had managed to locate him. Choonilall has since been remanded to prison after being slapped with several charges- one of them being, causing the death of the greens vendor by dangerous driving.
The very next day (September 16), around 11:10hrs September 16, a 45-year-old motorcyclist, Imran Haniff of High Reef Street, Albion Corentyne, Berbice, Region Six was struck by a canter truck and died hours later from his injuries at the New Amsterdam Public Hospital.
His motorcycle was reportedly hit from behind by the canter truck as he was turning off of the Albion Public Road and turning into Cooper Street.
Based on footage seen by this newspaper a car had slowed down for Haniff to make the turn but the Canter truck overtook the vehicle and slammed into the motorcyclist before he could have made it into Cooper Street. It is unclear whether the driver of the truck was ever placed before the court by police.
Three days later around 20:55hrs September 19, there was yet another road fatality. A pensioner, Clayton Grant, 79 was riding his bicycle across the Meten-Meer-Zorg Public Road on the West Coast of Demerara (WCD) when a Sheriff Security pick-up struck him down. He was pronounced dead at the Leonora Cottage Hospital.
Police had reported that driver of the pick-up, a 32-year-old employee of Sheriff Security was in custody but to date the Force has not yet stated if he was charged. A Canadian based Guyanese on vacation would be the fifth road death after he was struck down on September 22 by a speeding route 42 minibus at the Junction of Princess and High Street, Georgetown.
The city Businessman, Nigel Cush, who crushed to death after a Sand truck jumped a red light and bulldozed his car into light pole.
The Canadian identified as 53-year-old Veda Prakash Faudar, was reportedly one of two pedestrians standing on the eastern side of High Street facing west as the minibus, BAB 6045, was proceeding south along the western lane of High Street.
According to police the bus, which was driven by 30-year-old William Scott of Supply, East Bank Demerara, (EBD) was travelling at about 40 to 45 kmph when one of the pedestrians, Faudar, suddenly attempted to cross the road – doing so in the path of the minibus. As a result, the front left-side of the minibus collided with Faudar and the impact flung him a fair distance along the road way.
An ambulance was called but when it arrived, the Emergency Response Team on board pronounced him dead at the scene. The bus driver was taken into custody and is expected to face charges in the coming week.
Two days later on September 24, there was yet another road accident this time along the D’Edward Village Public Road, West Bank Berbice (WBB). The accident took place around 04:30hrs and claimed the life of a taxi driver identified as Salim Yusuf, 30.
Yusuf, it was revealed, had left home to pick up a passenger his car. He was reportedly only three houses away from his home when a black SUV driven by a well known teacher, Colin Bynoe, crashed into his car along the D’Edward Village Public Road.
Police investigators reported that Yusuf was driving his car in a western direction, along the southern side of the road, and Bynoe was travelling in the opposite direction, along the northern side of the road, when the collision occurred.
At the scene, Yusuf’s family members recorded Bynoe claiming that Yusuf had driven into his path. However, video footage obtained showed that it was Bynoe who had lost control of the vehicle and crashed into Yusuf’s car.
Aslom Masmood, the driver of the sand truck that bulldozed Cush’s car after running a red light.
It showed that Bynoe was travelling at a fast rate and it appeared as though he lost control of his vehicle while negotiating a turn. Another car managed to swerve out of his path as he skidded over into the southern driving lane slamming into Yusuf’s car.
Both cars were wrecked after the collision but Bynoe escaped with minor injuries while Yusuf was found in an unconscious state and bleeding from injuries about his body.
He was rushed to the Fort Wellington Hospital but doctors pronounced him dead on arrival. Bynoe has since been arrested and is assisting police with their investigation.
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