FOURTEEN-YEAR-OLD Mark Anthony McCoy, called ‘Markie’of Lot 561 Cinema Street, Diamond, East Bank Demerara, is the country’s latest road fatality.The police have reported that around 19:00hrs on Tuesday at Diamond Public Road, minibus BVV 989 was proceeding south along the eastern side of the road, while the pedal cyclist was proceeding north on the western side of the road, towing a male on the handle of the cycle.
It is alleged that the cyclist swerved into the path of the minibus, during which the male who was being towed jumped off and the cyclist collided with the bus. As a result of the impact, Mark, who fell onto the road surface, was rushed to the Diamond Diagnostic Centre in an unconscious state and died while receiving treatment.
Meanwhile, the 46-year-old driver of Kaneville, Grove, also on the East Bank of Demerara, who was given a breathalyser test and recorded no blood alcohol, is in custody, assisting with the investigation.
The victim’s sister, Alicia McCoy, told the Guyana Chronicle that her brother was at home just before 19:00hrs when a friend, who lives next door came and called him out of the house. She related that her brother put on his jersey and said they were going to make a purchase of beers for his friends’ relatives, who were at the time imbibing and he left on his bicycle.
The grieving woman added that the family was informed of the accident and upon rushing to the scene, they found mark lying on the road in an unconscious condition.
“My brother was alive but they took a long time to take him to the hospital, which is not far away; to top it off the friend seeing the impending danger, jumped off the bicycle and ran home and didn’t even tell us what happened.”
According to her, her brother was rushed to the hospital some 20 minutes after the accident occurred and they are still to locate his bicycle. McCoy added that her brother received serious internal injuries. The Guyana Chronicle during a visit to McCoy’s house, observed that the police had re-visited the spot where the lad was killed, accompanied by the minibus driver and the teenage friend.
The teen told reporters at the scene on Wednesday that he went with McCoy to visit his grandmother’s residence to drop off some food on a bicycle. He noted that while they were returning home, the accident occured when his neighbour overtook a car and rode directly in the path of the bus.
The driver said he could not stop when he saw the teen and as such, there was a collision after which he went to the Grove Police Station, a short distance away to report the accident.