A Cuban truck driver who was driving without a license was taken into police custody this Friday in Guyana after being involved in a traffic accident that left two Indonesian citizens dead and four other foreigners injured, according to local media reports.
The incident occurred around 3:51 AM on the public road of Timehri, in East Bank Demerara, and involved the truck GAJ 3074 and the minibuses BAH 6588 and BAF 1135, according to information from the Guyana Police collected by News Room Guyana and Demerara Waves.
The police reported that the truck driver is a 36-year-old man residing in Land of Canaan.
According to the preliminary version, it was heading south when it allegedly swerved southwest at high speed and collided with the minibus BAH 6588, which was traveling in the opposite direction.
The truck subsequently collided with the second minibus, BAF 1135, which was traveling behind the first one. Among its occupants were the Indonesians Edy Ansyori Sukri and Ikomang Tedy Arsa Bantara Putra, who were declared dead at the scene.
Four other foreign citizens traveling in the vehicle were injured and were taken to Diamond Regional Hospital, where they remained under medical care, according to police information.
The media News Source Guyana identified the truck driver as a Cuban citizen and stated that he did not have a driver's license.
He also noted that the truck, linked to a construction company, was neither insured nor had a road service license.
According to that outlet, the two deceased were part of a group of foreigners who had just arrived in Guyana to begin working in the oil and gas sector.
News Source Guyana also indicated that the Cuban driver could face a charge for causing death by dangerous driving, in addition to other possible accusations.
The drivers of the three vehicles were subjected to breathalyzer tests and none showed traces of alcohol. All three remained in police custody while the investigation was ongoing.
Authorities searched for witnesses and security cameras in the area but found none. The three vehicles sustained significant damage as a result of the collisions.
The accident coincides with another event involving a Cuban citizen in Guyana, which was also recently reported.
Alex Jesús Gonzáles Beria, a 23-year-old Cuban worker, was found dead under two containers in a storage complex in Muneshwers.
The initial investigations indicated that the young man, a construction worker and resident of Canal No. 1, West Bank Demerara, was in a hole within the terminal area when the tragedy occurred.
The Cuban community in Guyana has also recently expressed concern about incidents of violence.
Last week, a Cuban resident in the country raised concerns about several assaults suffered by fellow countrymen and stated that migrants were becoming a frequent target of crime.
Among the mentioned facts was the case of a 49-year-old Cuban who was stabbed in the abdomen during a robbery in Georgetown, an incident that had indeed been reported earlier by local media.
Related videos:
Filed under: