Kaieteur News – A truck driver’s decision on Tuesday to drive through some thick smoke at Foulis, West Coast Berbice resulted in the death of one of two passengers who were seated in the front seat after his vehicle slammed into another truck.
Killed in the crash is Retaford Chittian, 34, of Williamsburg Corentyne Berbice. The crash reportedly took place around 16:00hrs while both trucks were heading west along the Foulis Public Road
Due to poor visibility caused by the smoke, the driver identified as Mohamed Shakar, 43, of Tain New Scheme, Corentyne Berbice, Region Six crashed into the back of another truck, owned by Industrial Fabrications Inc.
The driver of the truck that Shakar had crashed into, GTT 9027, told police that he was driving at 70 Kilometers per an hour when he saw thick smoke blowing across the road at Foulis Village.
Due to poor visibility, the man said that he slowed down to drive through the smoke but suddenly felt an impact to the back of his truck. The impact was as a result of Shakar slamming into the man’s truck from behind.
The cab of Shakar’s truck was crushed pinning his two front seat passengers, Chittian and Nadir Ali Mangar, 33, of Port Mourant Village Corentyne.
Passengers were also travelling in the tray of Shakar’s truck but they escaped with a few scrapes and bruises. They dismounted from the truck and pulled Shakar and the front seat passengers from the wrecked truck cab. They were all taken to Fort Wellington Hospital. Chittian was pronounced dead on arrival while Ali and Shakar received treatment for their injuries.
Shakar’s injuries were not life-threatening and he was discharged but police arrested him after he left the hospital. Both him, and the driver of GTT 9027 are police custody assisting with investigations.
