FOLLOWING the fatal accident in Matthews Ridge, Region One (Barima-Waini) on Sunday, which claimed the lives of three persons, including a teenager, his father and another man, two of the three persons injured have since been discharged from the hospital, while the third man suffered broken limbs.

His name has not been revealed as yet but he is expected to seek further medical attention in the city.

Others that were injured are Buckley Grant and Roy Ramzan, both of whom were discharged from the Matthews Ridge Hospital yesterday.

The dead have since been identified as Leon Williams, 62, and his son, Trevor Williams, 19, both of Matthews Ridge, and a man identified as Deon Baptiste of Port Kaituma, also in Region One.

They were killed when a truck, laden with lumber and driven by Godfrey Austin, ran out of control while negotiating a turn and toppled, a short distance from the Matthews Ridge Airstrip at about 17:30hrs on Sunday.

The truck, owned by Arakaka businessman Johnny Phillips, was returning to Matthews Ridge from the backdam when it toppled, pinning the occupants who were in the tray.

It was reported that the truck driver, Godfrey Austin, who was travelling alone, stopped and picked up the group and offered them a lift.

Late Sunday night an excavator attached to Reunion Manganese Company managed to lift the truck and placed it on its four wheels at the place where the accident occurred.

Reports said that Williams is the father of about 21 children, and at the time he was accompanied by his teenage son, Trevor Williams. The accident happened a short distance from their home.

Shortly after the accident, it took sometime before the broken bodies of the dead were freed from under the mangled truck where they were trapped, while the three injured men were taken to the Matthews Ridge Hospital for medical attention.
As news of the tragedy spread in the community, many residents showed up to lend a helping hand, while the driver of the truck was taken away and placed in police custody pending investigations.

This weekend, six men lost their lives in road accidents in the city, in Berbice, at Hope on the East Coast Demerara, and at Matthews Ridge.