By Vanessa Braithwaite
MACKENZIE High School student Denelson Rose, 18, was struck down and killed on the Washer Pond Road in Mackenzie, Linden, around 03:45 hrs on October 24 last, allegedly by Marlon “Brando” Washington, a member of the Guyana Police Force, who was deemed intoxicated at the time of the accident. Yet, to date, ‘E’ Division police ranks are unable to definitively relate the outcome of their investigations to Rose’s grieving family members.

TRAIL OF BLOOD
Moreover, although Washington had fled the scene of the accident, he had been identified as the errant driver by two passengers who had allegedly been in his vehicle when the accident occurred. They related to the police and to Rose’s family members what had transpired. One of the young ladies had even given oral and written statements to the police on what she had witnessed.

She told the police that she had seen Denelson Rose standing on the road in a leaning position as if he had been tying his shoe laces. Less than 10 seconds later, she had felt an impact and saw Denelson lying on the road. She said that both passengers had informed the driver that he hit someone, but he continued driving.

Rose’s body was stuck under the car, thus the vehicle had begun to rock as it moved forward. That was when the driver and his two female passengers exited the vehicle to investigate what had transpired. Upon seeing Rose’s bloodied and battered body, the driver had re-entered the car, urging his passengers to do likewise, and drove away from the scene of the accident.

When the car stopped at the bridge to pay the toll, persons there had inquired why the bumper of the car was hanging and was doused with blood. The driver had reportedly become very aggressive, and responded by using expletives. At that time, he became aware that his number plate was missing and obviously had to have been left at the scene of the accident. The ladies were then dropped home, and that is when one of them informed relatives of the deceased about what occurred.

This entire episode was related to the police, who later arrested the suspect after retrieving the number plate from the scene. Washington was then arrested for causing the death of Denelson Rose, but, to date, he has not been charged, and is back on the road, driving his vehicle as though nothing had ever happened.

ALACRITY NEEDED
Keon Simpson, Rose’s surviving brother, is calling on the director of public prosecutions (DPP) to treat the case with some level of alacrity, because, he said, he became irate after seeing Washington on the road yesterday, imbibing alcohol at a popular spot in Linden before driving off in his vehicle.

“I am concerned as to how this individual is still driving on the road, and is blatantly drinking and doing so! The possibility is that someone else can lose their life at the hands of this driver,” he argued.

“This man is so blatant and heartless that [on the morning of the accident] he went home and came back to the scene with a taxi to see if he could get the number plate, but some friends of Denelson had already secured it in their possession to hand it over to the police,” the still deeply grieving brother revealed.

MURDER RULED OUT
It had been rumoured by many, and had even been reported in the media, that the possibility of Denelson being murdered had been considered, because his body had been badly battered.

Rumour had it that the body had been thrown on the road before being hit by Washington’s car. Washington had also reportedly given a statement to the police that when he hit Rose’s body, it was already dead.

But Keon Simpson, Denelson’s brother, said the police had given the family a statement saying that murder was ruled out, as Rose had sustained no multiple or internal injuries. The police said the post mortem report received stated that the deceased had died from multiple injuries caused by an accident.

Moreover, two taxi drivers had allegedly given the police statements to the effect that they had seen Denelson walking on the Washer Pond Road when they were going to make drop-offs within the area where he had met his demise. Within minutes, while returning to base, they had seen Denelson lying on the road dead.

“A taxi man made a statement saying that he was the first to see Denelson lying on the road dead, and [he] saw a speeding car drive away from the scene; but [he] did not stop, as he was avoiding implications,” Keon mentioned. He added, “He even said that Denelson was flagging him down [when he had passed him alive], but because he was on a special hire, he did not stop.”

DISPLEASED
The mother and brother of the late Denelson Rose are displeased with the way the case is being treated, and they are of the belief that, because the driver is a member of the Guyana Police Force, the police are not prosecuting the case with vigour. “If [the driver] was any ordinary citizen, this [listlessness] would not have happened,” they contend.

“Multiple statements were given to the police, the driver confessed to being on the scene, the car was impounded, a breathalyzer test was done, and the number plate was retrieved from the scene; and still no charges were laid upon this man!” a devastated Keon said.

“Every time the police are engaged [enquired about] on the matter, they sluggishly say that they are waiting on the report from the pathologists and for an answer from the Office of the DPP,” Keon resignedly revealed.

‘E’ Division Police Commander Calvin Brutus, told this newspaper that the report was sent to the Office of the DPP, and the police are awaiting the findings, so as to take the next step in the investigation. He said that because the driver is a member of the Police Force, there is a different procedure to be followed than that of an ordinary citizen.

“I have informed the mother of the deceased of this procedure, and so they should exercise patience as the office of the DPP complete their assessment of the case,” Commander Brutus declared.

But Keon Rose is of the opinion that before that assessment is completed, someone else might lose his/her life at the hands of this habitually drink- driving motorist.