GUYANA Water Inc. (GWI) said, yesterday, that the whereabouts of the vehicle driver involved in the Wednesday night fatal accident, at Trench Road, East Ruimveldt, remains unknown.

The GWI Public Relations Officer, Mr. Timothy Austin told the Guyana Chronicle that they have since supplied the Police with all the necessary information regarding the man’s address, next of kin and telephone numbers.
That was after food vendor Claud Derrick Mc Pherson had been killed and the man who was driving the ill-fated vehicle at the time did not report for duty since.
Austin said that it is all in the hands of the Police to act and they are still cooperating and will arrange a meeting with relatives of Mc Pherson shortly.
A press statement from GWI, on Thursday night, said the company was misinformed by the driver about the nature of the accident.
GWI, however, expressed deepest sympathy to the family of McPherson and said it is providing full cooperation and assisting the Guyana Police Force (GPF) with regard to the accident which, allegedly, involved the vehicle registered to the utility which resulted in the death.
The statement said the company wishes to provide the following facts regarding the incident:
“The driver in question reported to work today, Thursday February 27 and submitted a written report of an accident and, subsequently, asked for ‘personal time’ to visit a relative in hospital.
Records indicate

“The report indicated that the accident involved a collision with an animal. GWI records indicate that the vehicle was returned to the corporate complex, Vlissengen Road and Church Street at approximately 21:50 hours on Wednesday, February 26; the keys to the vehicle were lodged with GWI security.
“After proceeding on ‘personal time’, the driver did not report for duty thereafter. GWI management recorded the accident and examined the vehicle in question.
“An investigation was launched by GWI which involved contacting the Guyana Police Force (GPF) to verify that the driver’s account of the accident was accurate.
“The GPF indicated that no accident involving a GWI vehicle was reported at the time. Subsequently, GWI was contacted by the Traffic Department, regarding an incident which, allegedly, involved a vehicle registered to the company.
“The company agreed to provide full cooperation to the Traffic Department, including granting access to the vehicle in question today Thursday February 27
“GWI contacted the employee at 12:20hours via his cell phone and he indicated that he would return to work shortly.
“The employee has yet to report for duty and GWI has provided all necessary information to the Traffic Department.
“The Police was summoned on Thursday afternoon when relatives of the victim of a hit and run fatal accident showed up outside the Guyana Water Inc. (GWI) on Vlissengen Road, Georgetown, after they found the ill-fated vehicle parked in the compound.
“The victim has been identified as Claud Derrick Mc Pherson, called ‘Chippy’, 45, a food vendor, of Lot 169 East Ruimveldt Housing Scheme.
Sister of the deceased, June Seaforth told the media that, through their own private investigation, they found the getaway vehicle, a silver grey Toyota Hilux Surf, with number plate PRR 2923 parked in the water company’s compound.
The grieving woman disclosed that she only arrived in Guyana on Sunday last for a family reunion after four years.
And now look what has happened, she lamented, demanding justice for her loved one.
She said the father of six, who is a roadside vegetarian (ital) food vendor, operates a short distance from his home and, at the time he was struck, had been on his way home to retrieve his cell phone, which he had forgotten.

Run over
He was struck down and run over by the vehicle, which fled the scene without rendering any assistance to him said Seaforth, who is a registered nurse in the United States (U.S.).
She said her brother died before he reached the hospital since his body was broken in several places and he suffered massive head injuries.
She stated that her brother’s damaged body was dragged more than four hundred yards from the point of impact and the driver did not even stop but told officials of GWI that he had hit a horse after they noticed the condition of the vehicle.
The driver could not be located yesterday but the Police drove away the vehicle from the GWI premises and it is being kept for further investigations.
Another relative of Mc Pherson, Sarah Chase told this newspaper that several more relatives were with her as they staged a peaceful picketing exercise outside the GWI compound in their call for justice for their loved one, who was described as a family man.
She said it was minutes to 22:00 hrs on Wednesday night and she was at home when a resident went there to inform them of the fatality and, on her arrival at the scene, her uncle was on the roadway in a lifeless form.
He was picked up and transported to the Georgetown Public Hospital (GPH) where he was pronounced dead on arrival.
Chase said:“The driver reported he had hit a horse. My uncle is not an animal but a human being and we need justice.”
She said several other persons, who were in the vicinity and witnessed the occurrence are willing to come forward.