A WEST LA PENITENCE father of three is now dead after he was struck from his motorcycle by a speeding minibus on the Goed Fortuin Public Road, West Bank Demerara (WBD), early on Saturday morning.
Dead is 42-year-old Joseph James of Walker Terrace, West La Penitence, in the city The Guyana Police Force (GPF) said in a statement that the fatal accident occurred at about 03:30h

It further stated that the driver of the minibus BSS 9898, during the process of the

investigation, indicated that he was proceeding north along the western carriageway when he stopped to urinate and was robbed in the process.
The driver further told the police that after being relieved of his jewelry by the occupants of a car, he was forced into his minibus and ordered to drive. In the process he struck down James who was proceeding in the same direction on motorcycle (CH 9495). The Police however says the driver’s story is questionable.

“The driver of the bus whose blood alcohol level was above the legal limit, and whose account of the accident contradicts with that of a witness, is presently in police custody assisting with the investigation,” the Police, statement added.
The motorcyclist who was taken to the West Demerara Regional Hospital in an unconscious state, reportedly died at the institution. When the Guyana Chronicle visited James’ West La Penitence home on Saturday afternoon, family and friends were in deep mourning as they reflected on his life.

His mother, Gloria Lewis, with whom he lived, said she was in bed when she was awoken by loud shouts at around 04:00h. “A bus man come shouting inside, inside, Joe deh lie down dead on Pouderoyen Road,” she recalled.
A neighbour, Merlyn Barclay, who rushed to the scene of the accident upon hearing the tragic news, related that while James’ body had already been removed from the scene when she arrived there, the remnants of the motorcycle and bus told the heart-rending story.

“All we see is the motorbike tear up in pieces all over the road,” Barclay said, while pointing out that traffic ranks were still conducting their investigation on the scene.
Two eye-witnesses reportedly told the family, that James was proceeding to Georgetown and the speeding bus was heading in the opposite direction when he was struck down. “It was nah no robbery, the driver lie, he lie,” Barclay cried.
“The driver was wrong. He drive over on Joe side and knock he down,” another close friend of the family added.

According to the friend, James was returning home from a dance at Pouderoyen but made it clear that his friend was not a fast rider. “They can’t say he does ride hard, he does ride slow, slow, slow. Duh man does ride slow, ask anybody how slow duh man does ride. He just buy the bike to go to work,” he cried.

The deceased who fathered three children- the youngest is only two months, his eldest 10 years’ of age and the second who is four years old, was at the time of his death, employed at the Noble House Fisheries at Houston, East Bank Demerara (EBD) for approximately seven years.

According to dead man’s mother, he was a hardworking, fun-loving individual who took care of her. “He was a loving son, loving, loving son. Anything I want, I get it. Anything I want, he gone and buy it for me,” she said as she broke down in tears.
His family is now calling for the driver to be charged, placed before the courts and given the maximum sentence.