A 59-YEAR-OLD man lost his life after he was struck off his bicycle by a canter truck on the Skeldon Public Road yesterday, while out on a morning outing with his pet birds.

Dead is Yatandeo Heralall of Lot 7, Line Path Skeldon, an Operator at the Guyana Sugar Corporation (GuySuCo) Skeldon Estate. The accident occurred at approximately 07:30hrs. According to a Police release, the cyclist was proceeding north along the Western side of the Public Road when he was struck by the rear of the motor lorry, which was in the process of overtaking. He was subsequently picked up and taken to the Skeldon Hospital, where he succumbed at around 11:00hrs.

The man’s wife Ramdai Heralall said that her husband left their home on his bicycle to take his birds for their customary morning outing but failed to return home.

She said that when she did not see him home at about 08:00hrs, she became worried. Soon after, she said that someone came by and alerted her that her husband met with an accident and was in the hospital.

Mrs.Heralall explained that she left the hospital and went home to pack some clothes and returned only to find several doctors in the room and her husband’s urinal bag filled with blood.

“I ask them what’s going on and they say he get internal bleeding and I ask where is the ambulance and they say in 40 minutes it will reach but by time it finally reach he died,” she said.

She expressed dissatisfaction over the time the ambulance took to arrive, stating that had it been earlier she believes her husband’s life could have been saved.

Meanwhile, according to an eyewitness, Andrew Crookchan, he was alerted by a loud sound and upon enquiring, saw Heralall’s body lying motionless next to a nearby drain, while his broken bicycle was in another direction and the driver of the canter speeding away.

“I run go outside and the man lying down there and the driver didn’t stop. He continued driving. Is when people start come out, I see he turn back and then stop at the scene so we just hurry and pick up the man and carry he to the hospital,” he said.

Meantime, the driver of the vehicle, GKK 7698, a 76 year old man identified as “Gangram”, of Rampur Village,Corriverton is currently in custody assisting with investigations. A blood alcohol test was done and it was found be zero percent.