By Shirley Thomas

SIXTY-FIVE-year-old Brian Aubrey Anthony Devine, who survived the New Year’s Day 2015 fatal accident that claimed the life of his 61-year-old friend George Barker on Cemetery Road, East La Penitence, Georgetown, has succumbed.

He breathed his last at 15:10hrs on Monday at the Georgetown Public Hospital, where he has been a patient ever since being struck down by an out-of-control motor car.

At around 06:00hrs on New Year’s Day, 2015, Barker and Devine had set out to buy newspapers at the popular ‘fruit stand’ on Cemetery Road, in the vicinity of the Liana Nursery School, when a speeding motor car hit a speed hump, demolished the fruit stand and ploughed into them. Baker, who had been trapped under the motor car, ended up in a nearby ditch, and was pulled out by civic-minded citizens. He had managed to give his name, but died on his way to hospital. Devine, meanwhile, had suffered multiple life-threatening injuries in such places as his head; legs, both of which were broken; spine, ribs and back. His left eye was also injured, and his left jaw was broken. On top of all this, he had on his right leg a cut that carried 30 steel clamps, and he subsequently became paralysed in his right hand.

For the duration of his stay in hospital, Devine was confined to bed, and was able only to use his left hand. Initially, he was constantly in and out of the theatre, but was never discharged from hospital.

Devine had claimed that the investigating rank had never visited him in hospital to take a statement, and this only came to light during a visit by the then Police Traffic Chief (ag.), Dennis Stephens, during Road Safety Week. Stephens, who spoke with Devine at length, had promised to investigate the matter; and indeed, he had kept his word.

WITNESS, NOT VICTIM
Within weeks, the matter was brought up in court for trial, in January this year. However, the shocking revelation was that, for one full year, Devine had remained listed in the police statement as a witness and not as a victim of the accident. Therefore, the motorist had been charged only for causing the death of George Baker by dangerous driving, and not for causing injury to any other person.

All this happened while Devine languished on a hospital bed. However, about three weeks ago, the defendant was slapped with an additional charge for the injuries caused to Devine, and this matter is ongoing.