Twenty-seven-year-old Rameshwar Persaud, a truck driver from Farm Track Madewini was on Monday granted bail in the sum of $1.5 million for causing the death of Arnold De Santos.
Persaud appeared before Magistrate Judy Latchman at the Diamond Magistrate’s Court, where he pleaded not guilty to a causing death by dangerous driving charge.
Persaud was charged with causing the death of the 63-year-old pedestrian while he was reversing a motor lorry bearing registration GAD 7213 on Thursday last along the Farm Track access road, Madewini, East Bank Demerara (EBD).
It was reported that on the day in question at about 18:15h, Persaud was reversing along the roadway at a fast rate when it collided De Santos. As a result of the collision, the rear right-side wheel of the lorry ‘rolled over’ the pedestrian, thus causing him to receive injuries to his head and on the body.
He was then picked up in an unconscious condition and taken to the Diamond Diagnostic Centre, where he was pronounced dead.
The dead man’s son, Odel Moses, had explained that he was in the bath when he heard his uncle screaming. As he ran out to enquire, he saw his father lying under the truck with his head smashed.
At the time, he stated that his father was walking to a nearby shop to purchase a pack of biscuits, for which he had a craving. However, the young man explained that the truck would reverse on the road quite regularly.
“Most of the trucks, because of the width of the road, would drive in and then make a turn in an opening space but this driver would always reverse… it was dark and I don’t think he see my father walking…,” the young man added.
De Santos leaves to mourn his three children and grandchildren.
