….driver allegedly fled the scene

Police are investigating reports that the driver of the minibus involved in the Saturday night’s accident at Nismes on the West Bank of Demerara allegedly fled the scene after reports surfaced that Hensley Alleyne, who was initially named as the driver of the vehicle, was performing conductor duties on the ill-fated trip.

Divisional Commander Simon McBean said on Monday that allegations that the driver of the minibus was not Alleyne, are being investigated.

Alleyne, who is among sixteen persons who were hospitalized following the accident, was initially identified as the driver of minibus BYY 2981, which crashed into the motor car PTT 691, and resulted deaths of four persons.

However, according to a police source, Alleyne was on the bus performing the duties of conductor while the bus is said to have been driven by one Compton Bagot also known as Morris Bagot.
According to the source, Bagot is said to have ran away from the scene following the accident.
“The man jump out the bus and run away. Hensley was not the driver, Hensley was the conductor of the bus at the time,” the source said.

Commander McBean said investigations into the accident are still ongoing, and while no official information has come to the police, the contention over who was driving the minibus is being investigated. Relatives of one of the victims said a cover-up may be afoot.

“We heard that rumor, it didn’t come direct to us but we heard that rumor and it is something that we are looking at as part of our investigation. So our investigation will look at that so if it is it will come out in the investigation,” McBean said.

He explained that the police has not yet been able to interview the persons involved in the accident as many of the victims of the crash remain hospitalized. McBean said the police are also trying to locate the sole person that was treated at the hospital on Saturday night and sent away.

A total of 21 persons were confirmed to have been involved in the accident; 20 were in the 15-seater minibus, while 52 year old Rawle William, the driver of the car, was the sole occupant of the car.

In addition to William,those confirmed dead are 29-year-old Ayesha Sealey of Patentia Housing Scheme; 12-year-old Maria Bisnauth, of Side Line Dam, Sister’s Village, WBD; and 22-year-old Zavira Jona also of Patentia Housing Scheme, WBD. Bisnauth died while undergoing medical attention at WDRH.

In surveillance footage seen by this publication, the minibus crashed into the left front of the car soon after the latter exited the D&L Gas Station at Nismes.

The impact occurred in western carriageway of the roadway, as the car appeared to have crossed into that lane at the time. The minibus appeared to have been speeding, based on the footage.

The accident sent shock-waves throughout the country as it added to a series of road fatalities within the past week , which was designated as Road Safety Week.