Ambulance driver killed in vehicular smash-up

A fatal accident involving several motor vehicles and a motorcycle in Linden, Region 10 (Upper Demerara-Berbice) on Sunday evening has resulted in the death of 28-year-old Wilbert Sydney, an ambulance driver attached to the Linden Hospital Complex (LHC).

The incident occurred about 21:30h on the Amelia’s Ward Public Road, in the vicinity of Rawlins shortcut and Lover’s Lane, Mackenzie.

Police reports indicated that at the time of the accident, Sydney, of Lot 70 Half Mile, Wismar, Linden, was proceeding east along the northern side of the roadway on his motorcycle, CH5634, at a fast rate of speed when he overtook minibus BVV 6450 driven by Gordon Saul, 55, of Lot 20 Hardina Street, Wortmanville, Georgetown. In the process of then overtaking motor lorry GRR 6181, driven by Mark Charles, 39, of Lot 121 Amelia’s Ward, Sydney collided head on with motor car PNN 4510, which was driven by Michael Luckhoo, 21, of 96 River Side Drive, Watooka, Linden.

The car was proceeding west along the southern side of the road, also at a fast rate of speed. As a result of the collision with the motor car, Sydney and his motorcycle were reportedly thrown into the motor lorry, thence to the northern parapet. He was later picked up, along with the drivers of the motor car and motor lorry, and taken to the LHC where he was pronounced dead on arrival.

The driver of the motor car was admitted for observation and remained under Police guard while the driver of the motor lorry was transferred to the Georgetown Public Hospital with a broken right leg.

At the scene of the accident, scores of onlookers and Police gathered. Sydney, with one of his arms severed, laid sprawled on the roadway for some time before he was transported to the Hospital. The damaged vehicles and a broken windscreen with shattered glass were strewn along the road.

A resident of Amelia’s Ward, who lives a short distance away from the scene, related to this newspaper that he was at home when he heard a loud impact and decided to investigate. “I was in me house when I hear ‘scrooks!’ (sound of brakes being applied) ‘blam!’. Well, I ain’t take it for nothing, but then something tell me to look out. When I look out, I see the vehicles on the road,” he noted, as he explained that he later checked the pulse of the deceased on the scene and realised that he was dead.

A family grieves

At the home of the deceased on Monday, his grieving sister, Shondell Sydney, in tears, said her brother was a father of two. She related that the family was presently having a hard time trying to cope with the tragedy. A number of family members and friends gathered at the home to express condolences to the bereaved, including his three sisters and mother Paulette Sydney.

Shondell, a nurse presently attached to the Wismar hospital, said she last spoke with her brother briefly, some time before he left the family’s home on Sunday. She said her brother was scheduled to work the night shift at 22:00h, but noted that he would usually visit his girlfriend who resided at Amelia’s Ward. Shondell remembered her brother, the last child and only son of their mother, as a very respectable young man whom the family thought would not have survived a childhood tragedy. She said his death came as a shock.

Several friends and family members also took to Sydney’s Facebook page after his death, expressing shock and grief. Investigations are ongoing. (Utamu Belle)