Commander for Regional Division Five, Assistant Commissioner Kurleigh Simon, has indicated that while the situation is back to normal at Hopetown, West Coast Berbice (WCB), a thorough investigation has been launched into the unrest.
A report from the Guyana Police Force (GPF) said that at about 17: 26h, a 19-year-old man went to the Fort Wellington Police Station and reported that he collided with two men who rode into his path on the Hopetown Public Road. He said that moments later, a crowd gathered at the scene, and persons within robbed him of his iPhone Pro Max and one gold chain away.
As a result of the report, a rank uplifted a medical certificate and attempted to escort the teen driver to seek medical attention at the Fort Wellington Public Hospital.
As he was about to do so, the teen’s father, a 43-year-old businessman of Bath Settlement, began verbally abusing the Police.
The teen driver also refused to be escorted to the hospital, instead entering a motor vehicle that drove off.
The Police left to visit the accident scene at Hopetown. On arrival, it was observed that the motor car was on the southern footpath facing south with extensive damage to the front. There was no key in the vehicle.
As Police attempted to escort the vehicle to the Fort Wellington Police Station, several angry residents lifted the car back to the road and began to damage it.
The Police at the scene tried to calm the crowd, but several persons began to vandalise the vehicle, and some chanted, “let’s burn the vehicle.”
Police contacted a private tow truck service to take the vehicle to Fort Wellington Police Station.
At about 19:00h on Sunday, the tow truck arrived, and while loading the motor car bearing licence plate number PNN 1801, several persons tried to prevent the vehicle from being loaded onto the truck.
A party of Police ranks tried to calm the situation. However, the angry residents threw a liquid substance on the motor car and started to throw missiles on the motor car and tow truck.
The crowd became uncontrollable and damaged the front windshield of the tow truck, the side glass, and other parts of the vehicle, and then they set fire to motor car PNN 1801.
The tow truck driver entered his vehicle and drove east along the road, leaving motor car number PNN 1801 ablaze.
The Guyana Fire Service (GFS) was contacted, and a Fire Tender arrived at the scene and extinguished the fire.
The motor car was later towed to the Fort Wellington Police Station. Also, one electrical cycle was escorted to the station as well.
“Information received that the two cyclists — a 22-year-old, who is a serving member of the Guyana Defense Force, and a 14-year-old pedal cyclist, were taken to Fort Wellington Public Hospital, where they were both seen and examined by a doctor on duty,” the Police said.
The 14-year-old was treated and sent away, while the 22-year-old was referred to the New Amsterdam Public Hospital, where he was further seen and examined by a doctor on duty.
He was admitted as a patient and is suffering from injuries to his head and body. His condition is regarded as stable. The investigation is ongoing.
