RALPH BANWARIE
Another cyclist has been killed in a hit and run accident early yesterday morning while cycling along the Churchill-Roosevelt Highway in the vicinity of the Cumuto traffic lights. This is the eighth cyclist to be killed for this year while riding along the nation's highways.
The cyclist, whose name was given as Aaron Thomas, 40, died instantly after being hit by a pickup.
Eyewitnesses told the Sunday Guardian that around 8 am yesterday, Thomas and a group of cyclists were riding West along the highway, he was ahead of the group, when reaching the vicinity of Cumuto intersection, the driver of the vehicle apparently broke the red light in the vicinity of Cumuto and came into contact with Thomas who was flung into the air and died upon impact. The driver failed to stop and Thomas' cycle was a total wreck.
Police officers responded along with an EHS ambulance and they reported seeing the cyclist lying on the side of the highway dead.
The District Medical Officer visited the scene, viewed the body and ordered its removal to the Arima Mortuary from where it will be taken to the Forensic Science Centre, St James, for a post-mortem to determine the cause of death.
Police discovered a vehicle which was believed to be involved in the accident abandoned along the highway. The driver was nowhere to be found.
Only a few weeks ago, on November 10, two cyclists were killed in an early morning ride along the Beetham Highway when a car ploughed into their group.
Cyclists Joanna Banks, 40, a manager at BP and Joe Brown, Chef at Jaffa Restaurant at the Queen's Park Oval died in that accident. They were members of the Slipstream Cycling Club.
Other cyclists who were in the group in yesterday's accident were reported to be traumatised and were seen placing their bicycles into support vehicles as they refused to continue cycling along the highway.
One cyclist said that was the end of road cycling for him.
As a result of the former accidents, Minister of Works and Transport Rohan Sinanan was making efforts to revise the laws for cyclists using the highways.
Police officers attached to the Cumuto Police Station are continuing investigations.