THE Guyana Police Force is in a state of mourning following the horrific death of a Lance Corporal who died on Friday, hours after crashing a police minibus opposite the Vigilance, East Coast Demerara police station.

Dead is 25-year-old Police Special Lance Corporal, 14790 Ashwell Jackman of ‘B’ Field Sophia, East Coast Demerara. He was attached to the Mess Hall of the police force.

The accident occurred at approximately 3:00hrs Friday during the heavy rainfall, when Jackman lost control of the police minibus – PTT 8504 – and crashed into the garage of a business place opposite the Vigilance Police Station. He was the only occupant of the vehicle at the time.

Public Relations Officer (PRO) of the GPF, Superintendent Jairam Ramlakhan, said that Jackman was proceeding west along the northern side of Vigilance public road, when he lost control and collided with a lamp pole and a fence on the southern side of the road.

He was rushed to the Georgetown Public Hospital in an unconscious state and died while receiving treatment in the Intensive Care Unit. This newspaper understands that Lance Corporal Jackman joined the Force in 2014 and at the time of the death, he was stationed at Brickdam Police Station.

Raymond Ragbar, the businessman who suffered a damage garage and fence as a result of the accident, told this newspaper that he was jolted out of his sleep by the impact.

Upon checking outside, Ragbar said he saw the accident and observed the lone police rank inside the vehicle in an unconscious state. According to the businessman, moments after, ranks from the Vigilance police station arrived at the scene and took their colleague to the hospital.

Later that morning, Ragbar said a Police Inspector visited the scene and promised to have a contractor fix the damaged concrete fence, wooden garage door and a canter truck, which was parked at the spot during the accident. The canter only suffered minor damages. The damaged police minibus was taken to police headquarters.