A racing car driver and his friend died early Sunday morning when the vehicle they were travelling in plunged into a canal on the Houston turn on the East Bank Demerara.
Dead are Raymond Ally,22, of Friendship Public Road, and Jermaine Frank, 21, of 41 Church Street, Friendship, East Bank Demerara. According to reports, the vehicle, a Toyota Crown, was driven by Ally and Frank was in the passenger seat.
Reports added that the car was speeding when the accident occurred at around 1:15hrs. An eye witness reported that the vehicle was pulled from the canal half an hour after the accident, with the occupants still inside.
When this newspaper visited Ally’s home, black flags were mounted on the power-poles in the vicinity. Employees of the service station owned by the his father were also seen posting photographs of the youth on the premises
The distraught father, who was at the gas station, declined to speak to the media. This newspaper was told by an employee that the deceased is the only son of his parents and he was champion of a drag racing competition last year.
Meanwhile, at the home of Jermaine Frank, friends and family members gathered and were busy preparing a tent for the traditional wake.
Allan Frank, father of the second deceased, said his son left home Saturday night, informing him that he was attending a “nine night” with his friends in Herstelling.
Visibly shaken, the father said he received a call from the East Ruimveldt Police Station informing him about his son’s death.
“He and Raymond does normally go out, they were good friends. I don’t know how I will be able to cope with this, but one thing I know is that I will continue to trust in God” said Frank.
Frank said he used to encourage his son to attend church, but he always refused. He said his son was very hard-working and a pleasant individual, who had many friends.
His other son, Javan Frank, said his brother had injuries on his hands and it appeared as if he was still alive after the accident and was struggling to get out of the submerged vehicle.
Jermaine Frank was an employee of Engineering and Construction Inc. (ECI) and leaves to mourn his father, brother Javan, and his sister Beverly.