Less than two weeks shy of his 18th birth anniversary, Ryan Britton of Da Silva Street, Kitty, Georgetown succumbed to his injuries at the Georgetown Public Hospital on Friday evening after he lost control of the car he was driving and slammed into an iron bridge at Mon Repos, East Coast Demerara.
Based on information received, the teenager was alone in the motor car bearing registration number HC 1619 and was proceeding along the railway embankment on Friday morning when he attempted to overtake another vehicle and lost control of his car.
The young man, who was reportedly under the influence of alcohol, slammed into the bridge causing the entire left side of the car to be damaged.
He was also pinned in the driver’s seat for some time before public-spirited citizens broke the back window of the car to retrieve him from the wreckage. He was taken to the Georgetown Public Hospital by persons in the area in an unconscious state.
Police in a release stated that they are investigating the fatal accident which occurred on Friday morning about 06: 00h, which resulted in the death of Britton.
The police also confirmed that the teenager was not licensed to drive a hire car.
Geeta Muniram, an aunt of the dead teenager related that he left home on Thursday evening with a friend and went to a birthday party. During the celebration, from reports, he collected a friend’s car unknown to the friend and went for a drive and in the process, he met with the accident. He was reportedly under the influence of alcohol.
Not aware
The aunt explained that they were not aware of the accident until they realised that he was missing. “He is a responsible person, so we really don’t call he and find out what time he coming home and so…”
However, after time elapsed, relatives began to feel “uneasy” and decided to make contact with the young man, but numerous attempts proved futile. His mobile phone was off but still the relatives did not suspect anything had happened to him since he would normally take off his phone when he wants his space.
“He was supposed to go and buy cooking gas for the house, so we thought that he went on the road to buy same and hadn’t return… he spent most times at his cousin’s place at Light Street, Alberttown.”
Worst fears
After some time, the owner of the car contacted the family after making a few calls and informed them that Britton was involved in an accident and was in the Intensive Care Unit of the Georgetown Public Hospital. The woman added that after receiving the news, the entire family went to the medical facility and searched all the departments, but did not find him.
This, she explained prompted them to visit the front desk where they made further enquiries.
Upon doing so, they found out that two persons were taken to the facility in an unconscious state following separate accidents.
By this time, a police rank approached them and showed them a few photos of the young man and asked to return on Saturday morning to identify the body. When they did, they were confronted with their worst fears.
The young man used to work with his aunt at her store, but earlier last week, he took a few days off claiming that he wanted to look after some personal issues.
The aunt stated that his grandparents live in Mon Repos, but she was not sure if he was going to meet them at that hour in the morning.
She also suggested that he might have been going to see his girlfriend, who reportedly lives in the same area. “These are all just speculations, we don’t know where he was heading and where he was going nor do we know where the party was held.”
Muniram disclosed that Britton is the only child for his parents in Guyana as his sister resides in the U.S. The police are continuing their investigation.
