Traffic Chief, Linden Isles, this morning said that his ranks are not completed their investigation into the death of former national cyclist, Jude Bentley who was killed in an accident on Saturday morning by Retired Rear Admiral Gary Best.
Bentley was riding his cycle around 05:00 hrs—heading east on the Rupert Craig Highway in the vicinity of the Russian Embassy, East Coast Demerara (ECD), when he was struck and killed.
At the time of the accident, he was proceeding to Sheriff Street to meet a group of cyclists.
Having failed two breathalyzer tests, Best was detained at the Kitty Police Station for one night and had to be taken to the Caribbean Heart Institute at the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation (GPHC) yesterday after complaining for chest pain.
Now, with Best’s hospitalization, this news agency has been informed that the probe into Bentley’s death is likely to be delayed.
A police source said that Best’s hospitalization is the “oldest trick in the book” and is used mostly by politicians and police officers to avoid the lockups.
So far, statement of the accident has only been taken from Best. There are no eyewitnesses.
In his statement, the suspect claimed that the cyclist was riding without reflective gear and his cycle was not equipped with lights, making it difficult to see him in the dark.
However, this claim has since been proven to be untrue by a motorist, who released a dash cam footage of Bentley just a few minutes before he was killed. The video showed the deceased wearing reflective gear and his cycle had lights.
In fact, these items were discovered—mangled at the scene of the accident. What was not found though is the dash cam footage on the suspect’s black Land Cruiser.
Best claimed that the camera was not working but ranks do not believe his story and suspect that he might have taken out the memory card from the camera just after the accident.
Guyana Standard has since learnt that on the morning of the accident, Best was giving the traffic ranks at the scene a hard time as they tried to question him.
“He was clearly under the influence of alcohol so we were trying to get him to take a breathalyzer test and he refused. He did not want to take the test. He was on his phone all the time. After more than two hours, then he took the test,” a police rank said.
According to information received, Best failed that test and then he failed a second one he took while at the police station.
It is unclear when the Retired Admiral will be charged but in most accident cases, the drivers are placed before the court within three days.
