Police are investigating a fatal accident which occurred at around 15:20h on Wednesday on Nelson Mandela Avenue, Georgetown which left a 42-year-old mother of five, Odessa Sam, dead.
The accident involved motor jeep PSS 7007 owned by Azruddin Mohamed of Houston Gardens, East Bank Demerara (EBD) and driven at the time by Nadia Mohamed, 41, also of Houston Garden, EBD.
The accident also involved motorcycle CH 1099 driven by Wendel Oudkerk of Lot 65 Lamaha Springs, Georgetown and pillion rider Sam of Lot 170 Middle Road, La Penitence, Georgetown.
Enquiries disclosed that the jeep was proceeding west along the northern drive lane of the southern carriageway of Nelson Mandela Avenue whilst the motorcycle was heading north along Critchlow Avenue.
It is alleged that the driver of the motorcycle, on approaching the junction of Nelson Mandela Avenue and Critchlow Avenue, failed to stop and proceeded to cross the road going from south to north, in a bid to proceed onto the northern carriageway at an opening between the median.
In doing so, he ended up in the path of the jeep. As a result, Sam and Oudkerk were thrown onto the road surface where they received injuries to their bodies.
Oudkerk was picked up in a semi-conscious state by Emergency Medical Technicians, placed into an ambulance and transported to the Georgetown Public Hospital, while the pillion rider was placed into a Police vehicle and transported to the said hospital.
Sam was pronounced dead on arrival at the hospital. Her body is currently lying at the Memorial Gardens Funeral Home awaiting a post mortem examination.
Meanwhile, Oudkerk was also seen and examined by a doctor and treated for head injuries. He is currently admitted as a patient in the critical bay where his condition remains serious.
The accident was reported to Police at around 15:25hrs on Wednesday and the scene was visited by a party of Police ranks from the East La Penitence Police Station Traffic Department.
Statements and measurements were taken, and a Notice of Intended Prosecution prepared and served on Nadine Mohamed. Photographs were taken of the vehicle and motorcycle, as well as the accident scene.
Checks were also made for CCTV footage of the accident. The jeep was examined by a Licensing and Certifying officer and two breathalyzer tests were conducted on Nadine Mohamed which revealed that she had no alcohol in her system.
It was also discovered that while the driver of the motorcycle was wearing a safety helmet, the pillion rider failed to wear one. It is unknown if the motorcyclist is the holder of a provisional or driver’s license. Further investigations are ongoing.
