A 74-year-old woman will spend her 75th birthday unconscious in hospital today after she was struck by a vehicle driven by a Guyana Defence Force (GDF) officer last week.
Patricia Cornelius remains hospitalised with a fractured skull, broken collarbone, fractured rib and other injuries following the September 1 collision at Aubrey Barker Road.
According to her family, Cornelius was struck at about 7:07 a.m. while crossing the road in the Seventh Street, Gardens area.
A relative who spoke with Kiskadee Watch said Cornelius was attempting to get out of the path of a vehicle which was travelling at a high speed when it swerved and struck her.
The Traffic Chief, Assistant Commissioner of Police Mahendra Singh, has confirmed that the vehicle was being driven by a GDF officer and said legal advice will have to be sought in relation to the matter.
The confirmation comes as Cornelius’ family raises concerns about the circumstances surrounding the collision and the handling of the investigation.
The relative said police informed them that the area where Cornelius was struck was in a blind spot of a nearby camera.
They said investigators instead had to rely on footage from another location on Penny Lane, several hundred yards away.
According to the relative, the footage available is not clear but shows the vehicle approaching Cornelius.
The family has also been attempting to obtain footage from a business in the area, they said.
The relative said they were told that the driver was released on the same day as the collision.
They also said that, despite Cornelius remaining unconscious in hospital, no one from the police has contacted the family to provide an update or obtain information from them.
The family member expressed concern about the handling of the matter and questioned why the driver was released so soon after the collision.
Cornelius, who turns 75 today, remains unconscious but stable, according to her relative.
Her family says she is being treated for serious injuries sustained in the collision and is unable to celebrate her birthday with loved ones.
The relative said the family is hoping that available video footage and other evidence will help establish exactly what happened.
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