A 57-year-old farmer died on the spot early yesterday morning when a speeding and out-of-control car slammed into the trailer which was attached to a tractor he was driving at Friendship Public Road, East Bank Demerara at about 07:30 hrs.

Upon impact, the tractor driver Bissoondial Nihal called ‘Nylon’ of Lot 17 Buzz Bee Dam, Craig, East Bank Demerara was flung off his seat. He reportedly landed somewhere between the metal bars (axle) that connected the trailer to the tractor, before landing on the road. Reports from those at the scene of the accident suggest that one of back wheels of the trailer, that was still moving when ‘Nylon’ fell on the road, might have ran him over, crushing a part of his head in the process.
At the time of the accident, the hard-working farmer was on his way to his provision farm at Garden of Eden, also on the East Bank of Demerara, towing a trailer with six employees, including one of his two sons.
Detailing his experience, the grief-strickened son of the deceased, identified as Ramgobin Nihal called ‘Bunty’, 36, said he was sitting at the rear of the trailer, and they were going at a slow pace when he noticed a car coming towards them (from behind) at a fast rate.
‘Bunty’ said that within seconds the car was upon them and at that point he thought the vehicle was trying to overtake them but soon realised that it could not happen and there was a loud impact.
The distraught son, who was very close to his now deceased father, recalled that he was sitting on the trailer and managed to hold onto the rail of the trailer, but it snapped, causing him to also fall onto the road and narrowly escaping death, as the car that slammed into the trailer came to a sudden stop a few inches from where he fell on the roadway.
Bunty said he quickly scrambled to his feet, glancing over to the still slowly-moving tractor and trailer, which came to a stop in a nearby trench.
It was then that Bunty said he observed a motionless body in the middle of the road, and upon closer inspection, confirmed his worst nightmare: it was his father.
He explained that his father’s motionless body had a huge hole on the left-side of the head and brain matter was spilling out on the carriageway of the road.
Bunty told the Chronicle that when the police arrived at the scene a short time later, he was told that they had no vehicle available to transport the body of his father to the nearby Diamond Diagnostic Centre. He immediately telephoned his brother, who was at home with the rest of the family including their mother, to inform about the accident and for his brother to use the family car to rush down to the scene and take the body to the hospital. This process was speeded-up somewhat by the police using an  outrider (motorcycle).
Bunty also said that after the smash-up, the driver of the car walked off from the scene and went to stand a short distance away until the police arrived. He then came and kneeled down on the roadway beside his father’s body and put his hand on his head as if he was praying before he was taken away by the police.
Meanwhile, at the residence of Bissoondial Nihal, his wife Jankie Nihal, called ‘Merlyn’, was reduced to tears and was in an obvious state of shock and grief. The woman recalled that her husband left home for work at about 06:00 hrs yesterday morning, which is the time he usually would leave for his farm.
She told the Chronicle that as usual her husband worked “seven days a week” since farming was his livelihood and passion, having started farming since the age of 11 years old when he left school to earn a living for his other siblings.
The visibly distressed woman said she was at home when they received the disturbing telephone call stating that her loved one was involved in an accident and that he succumbed to injuries but could not believe it until her sons confirmed it happened.
Jankie Nihal said: “I feel hurt about what took place since my husband did not deserve to die in such a manner…but I know that God is the true judge…and the driver (of the car) will have to answer to Him.”
Bissoondial Nihal was described by scores of relatives, friends and neighbours who flocked the family home at Craig yesterday, as a very kind-hearted person, who was very benevolent, family-oriented and extremely hardworking.
His brother, Roger, also a farmer was devastated, and constantly could be overheard muttering: “My brother doesn’t deserve to die this way…he was a good man, a hard worker…he doesn’t deserve to die this way.”
Nylon was the father of three children   – two sons and a daughter and had six grandchildren.
Meanwhile, the driver of the ill-fated car, a relatively new white Premio, PPP 8761, was under the influence of alcohol, which was later confirmed via a breathalyzer test. He reportedly lost control of the vehicle while he was heading to Linden/Soesdyke area to visit his wife and children, who reportedly left him recently.
The driver, who lives in Kitty, Georgetown and is said to be an aeronautical engineer attached to the Ogle Airport, reportedly told investigating ranks at Grove Police Station yesterday that he wanted to ‘end his life’ after his wife moved out of their Kitty, Georgetown home leaving with the children and he wanted them back.
An investigating rank told the Chronicle the driver was “so drunk, he can hardly stand properly”.
“We gat him down at Grove station; we waiting for him to sober-up before we take a statement,” the Police officer commented.
The driver escaped with minor injuries since he was saved by the ‘airbag’ on the steering wheel. The mangled remains of his car was towed away to the Grove Police Station, as were the tractor and trailer that belong to the deceased farmer.
It should ne noted that several relatives of the car driver in custody, including his visibly distraught mother, visited the home of the deceased in Craig, where they offered their sympathy as well as lament on the possible reasons that might have caused the driver to make the accident, including driving under the influence and dealing with ‘domestic issues’.
Investigations are ongoing.