A father of one was on Friday evening crushed to death by an alleged drunk driver along the Good Intent Public Road, West Bank Demerara.
Dead is Patraj Basdeo, 46, of Sister’s Village, West Bank Demerara.
According to information, the dead man, who was said to be under the influence of alcohol, was heading home and may have fallen on the roadway where he was run over by the car heading in the direction of the Demerara Harbour Bridge.
The man commonly called “Sookra” died on the spot while the car fled the scene. A brother of the dead man who is a Police gave chase and intercepted the vehicle at Belle Vue, WBD.
The driver was taken to Wales Police Station where a Breathalyzer test proved he was above the legal limit of driving under the influence of alcohol.
At the home of the dead man yesterday, his sister Pam Murray told the media that she was sitting in front of her house on Friday evening and saw her brother walking towards her house.
She noted that he suddenly fell due to his drunken state. The aggrieved woman recalled instructing her son to go pick him up and bring him home. However as the young man was heading to collect his uncle, a speeding car ran over the intoxicated man.
After running over the man, the driver drove off the scene: “My brother who saw what happened jumped into his car and went in pursuit of the driver… my brother said that he met up with him at Bell Vue as he was checking his motorcar for damage… After my brother cornered him, he claimed that he was under the impression that it was a dog.”
They are of the belief that the driver who is in his 30s knew exactly what had occurred and he was trying to escape.
According to information received, the insurance and the road license for the car had expired. On this matter, the driver told investigators that he works in the interior and that he only came out a few days ago and did not have the time to renew the documents.
Pam Murray described her brother as a heavy drinker while noting that he never really got into trouble with anyone. “He would drink and come home and that’s it… he doesn’t argue or anything.”
The man leaves to mourn his only child and five siblings.
The driver remains in police custody as they continue their investigations.
---
