77-year-old driver dies in Friendship accident

Mike Dasrat, 77, of Lot 24 Brickery, East Bank Demerara, has died after his motor jeep collided with a lorry this morning on the Friendship Public Road, East Bank Demerara.

The accident involved Motor Jeep PLL 8152, driven by Dasrat, and Motor Lorry GAE 5317, driven by Aubrey Herman Lim, 37, of Timehri.

Enquiries disclosed that the lorry was proceeding north along the western drive lane of the Friendship Public Road, while the jeep was heading south along the eastern drive lane.

The lorry driver told investigators that as he approached the vicinity of Friendship Secondary School, he observed the jeep swerving into his lane and continuing southbound in front of him. In response, he said he applied brakes, swerved westward, and stopped in an effort to avoid a collision. However, due to the short braking distance, the jeep collided head-on with the lorry.

As a result of the impact, Dasrat sustained injuries about his body. Emergency Medical Technicians arrived shortly after and removed him from the vehicle in an unconscious condition. He was taken to the Diamond Public Hospital, where he was examined by a doctor and later succumbed to his injuries at 10:34 hrs while receiving treatment, without regaining consciousness.

The body is currently at the Memorial Gardens Funeral Home, awaiting a post-mortem examination. A Notice of Intended Prosecution was prepared and served on the lorry driver, who was breathalysed; the result showed no trace of alcohol in his system.

Investigations are ongoing.