The driver of a speeding sand truck on Saturday afternoon lost control of the vehicle at Agricola, East Bank Demerara as he was heading to the city and ran over a child who was waiting to cross the busy roadway with a relative.

Dead is 7-year-old Ciara Benjamin.She was in the company of her aunt, Simone Barry, when the accident occurred.

Reports are that sometime after 1600hrs today, the child and her aunt were standing close to the median along the roadway when the truck, bearing registration GWW962, slammed into the structure, crushing the child instantly.The child’s aunt reacted in horror as onlookers searched for the driver.The man was later accosted and handed over to the police.

The accident led to a back-up of traffic along the roadway and late this afternoon, long lines of vehicles can be seen along the East Bank of Demerara as far as the Providence Stadium and Mandela Avenue and efforts were being made to remove the truck from the scene.