By: La’Wanda McAllister
Newspaper vendor Mark Anthony Ault of Republic Drive, Beterverwagting, East Coast Demerara (ECD) tragically lost his life on June 6 in an accident along the Linden-Soesdyke Highway.
Ault, a father of four, was driving a minibus when an allegedly speeding hire car, which was proceeding in the opposition direction – ended up in the path of the bus.
As a result, the car collided with the rear wheel of the minibus, causing it to spin out of control. The spinning minibus then collided with the private motorcar.
Ault was taken to the McKenzie Public Hospital in an unconscious state where he was pronounced dead on arrival.
London Lamaizon, the driver of the hire car, has since been charged with causing death by dangerous driving. Lamaizon pleaded not guilty and was placed on $600,000 bail for causing death by dangerous driving as well as $20,000 bail for failing to render assistance.
The case comes up for hearing again on June 30 at the Providence Magistrate’s Court.
In an interview with this publication, the now dead man’s wife Amanda, explained that the entire family remains traumatised and devastated.
“He has four children… this is very traumatic, it is hurting, it is unbelievable…my children cry every day for their father. They keep asking me ‘why’. When their father stuff came over the news, they were screaming on the road and saying ‘please come home, daddy please come home’. I have to deal with that and see my children crying everyday.”
She recalled learning of his husband’s demise via a social media post. After seeing the news, she immediately left her home to visit the accident scene. On her way there, she stopped a police station.
“When we stop at the Police Station, there were three guys attending to a vehicle and I asked about an accident on the Linden Highway and if he know anything about it, he said ‘no’ but he just brings in cars from an accident. I said what about the persons that got injured, did the ambulance come and collect them already? He said he think an ambulance was there, it was a hoarse. I ask him who died, and he said paperman,” the woman said.
The woman said she immediately burst into tears upon hearing the news. The couple had been married for 27 years.
