By Shirley Thomas

GLADWYN Brandis, the Green Ice (GI) taxi driver who was abducted, beaten and abandoned in Sophia on Tuesday night, remains warded at the Georgetown Public Hospital, where he has shown some improvements but his condition remains critical.Brandis has suffered a fracture to the head besides lacerations and is unconscious.

The 44-year-old father of five, who lives at 1170 Pigeon Place, South Ruimveldt was said to have been on duty on Tuesday night when he was hired.

Though the details are still uncertain it would appear that he was either hired to go to Sophia or was forced to divert to that location.

He was at the time operating from the Aubrey Barker base and after he failed to return, the base despatcher tried to make contact with him by radio, but transmissions went unanswered.

His car was subsequently found abandoned in Plum Park, Sophia on Wednesday morning with Brandis in the back seat wounded and in an unconscious state.

A neighbourhood resident recalled seeing the car parked at the roadside Tuesday night, but had no idea that something was amiss.
However, next morning when the car was still there the concerned resident called the Green Ice taxi service.

Meanwhile someone peered into the car and saw the driver lying in the back seat unconscious. The police, as well as staff from the taxi service were alerted and visited the scene.

The injured man was taken to the Georgetown Public Hospital where scans determined that he had suffered a fractured skull and other injuries.

His wife Nicole was too distraught to go into details, but said that he had been working as a taxi driver for some 18 years, and it was the first time that he has ever suffered in such a manner. However, she is thanking God that he is alive and is now praying for his full recovery.