-driver reportedly lost control
AN elderly woman was killed in a road accident yesterday morning at La Union, West Coast Demerara (WCD) by a speeding car in which the driver reportedly lost control. Dead is Bernice Savitrie Herbert, 68, of Lot 82 Crane Housing Scheme, WCD.
She was struck down on the public road at la Union by a speeding car that was coming out of Crane Village at about 08:30 hours, while she and several other persons were at  the road side awaiting transportation. Ms. Herbert was going to visit a friend and died instantly after being struck by the car.
According to a an eyewitness, Randolph Wilson,59, also of Crane whose wife and daughter were injured in the accident, the  driver who was proceeding west along the southern side of La Union, West Coast Demerara public road yesterday lost control of his car PMM 1191 and crashed into the bystanders.
Mr. Wilson told Guyana Chronicle he escaped with minor injuries, but his wife and daughter suffered most since both of them were admitted to the hospital. He said his wife lost one of her fingers and received injuries to both of her legs and his daughter received serious injuries to her forehead, but is in a stable condition.
The man related that he along with his wife and daughter, were on the southern side of the road awaiting transportation to Parika. He said the woman who died as a result of the accident was also standing with them, but he only knew her from the neighbourhood.
Wilson who appeared to be in a state of shock said that while standing on the road he noticed the car swerved off the road and before he could have alerted the others the car had already hit them.
“I saw when the car swerved. That’s why I got the least injuries, but by the time I tell the others to look out the car already crashed into them. I tumbled over and when I got up I saw my daughter in the trench so I ran quickly to her rescue. As I was pulling her out I saw my wife bleeding then I went across to her. The other woman was already dead by the time I got to her, she got the full impact” Wilson recalled.
According to Wilson the driver of the car was travelling at a fast rate and lost control of the vehicle. He said everything happened within a flash of time and if the driver was not speeding then he could have avoided the collision.
At the Guyana Public Hospital Corporation (GPHC),a police officer investigating the matter disclosed that the driver, Permaul Ramkisson, of Lot 572 Crane Housing Scheme also on the West Coast was also injured, but was treated at the West Demerara Hospital and released into police custody.
Wilson said his daughter visited him after living in Canada for 14 years and she was expected to return home today. He said his daughter wanted some items from the Parika Market to take back with her.
However, Wilson said he is thankful that he along with his wife and daughter escaped death’s hands, but regret the death of the woman whom he said would normally take children in his neighbourhood to Sunday school.
“I just know her from seeing her around, but I don’t know her name or anything else. She travel out in the same car with us to the public road and my wife even made a joke with her. We were all standing on the road when this car came out of nowhere and crashed into us” said Wilson.
After the accident the women were taken to the West Demerara Hospital, but because of the seriousness of the injuries they were transported to the GPHC.

Ms. Herbert’s daughter-in-law, Natasha Marks told the Guyana Chronicle that they first received the news that her mother-in-law had fallen down on the road and died in an accident.
But it was later learnt that she had died following a fatal accident and her husband positively identified his mother’s body at the West Demerara Regional Hospital (WDRH).
Mrs. Herbert was the guardian of four school-aged children and was residing in the same yard with her son but lived in a cottage.
She was at the time going to visit a friend to collect some things that was promised to her when she met her death.
The car also struck a utility pole on the road side which was crooked yesterday and the driver and car was taken to the Vreed-en-Hoop Police Station pending investigations.
Reports said the young driver was heading to his grandmother’s funeral when the accident occurred and was quickly whisked away from the scene and the injured were assisted by public-spirited citizens, who conveyed them to the hospital.