Another New Amsterdam crash leaves rider with fractured skull

…slow down – commander urges motorists

Another serious traffic accident in New Amsterdam, Berbice has left a motorcyclist with a fractured skull, as police again warn motorists about reckless driving, speeding and alcohol consumption on Region Six roads.

The crash occurred late Thursday evening on Main Road, New Amsterdam, involving multiple motorcycles, a utility pole and a roadside food stand.

Assistant Commissioner of Police Shivpersaud Bacchus, who is the Regional Commander, warned that reckless driving, speeding and alcohol consumption continue to endanger lives in Region Six, citing a serious New Amsterdam crash on Thursday night as a stark illustration of the growing problem.

The crash occurred on January 15, 2026, when an unregistered motorcycle ridden by 33-year-old Shacke Rowe lost control along Main Road, New Amsterdam, and collided with two stationary motorcycles, a Guyana Power and Light (GPL) utility pole, a parked car, and a roadside fish-and-chips stand.

Police in a release said Rowe first crashed into a parked motorcycle, then crashed into a GPL utility pole, causing it to fall onto a parked motor car, before skidding further south and colliding with two other stationary motorcycles. The out-of-control motorcycle finally struck a fish and chips stand, injuring two vendors.

The rider was picked up unconscious and rushed to the New Amsterdam Public Hospital, where doctors confirmed he sustained a fractured skull and multiple lacerations. His condition is serious but stable. The two vendors were treated and later discharged.

Reckless road use

According to the commander, the incident reflects a wider pattern of reckless road use across the region. “As it relates to traffic, we have had three reports. One is a fatal accident and the other two involve reckless use of the roadways, either through speed or alcohol consumption,” he said. He explained that the New Amsterdam crash occurred despite prior police intervention.

“We just saw last night [Thursday] in New Amsterdam a reckless motorcycle rider, even after being cautioned by the Traffic Department, continued his reckless behaviour and ended up in a three-vehicle accident. He is now in the hospital with a fractured skull,” Bacchus said. According to the police release, the motorcycle involved in the collision was unregistered. All vehicles involved are to be examined by a licensing and certifying officer as part of the ongoing investigation.

Thursday night’s crash comes against the backdrop of a grim opening to the year in Region Six, which recorded three road deaths within the first 11 days of January.

Those fatalities were Winston Hinds, who died after his motorcycle struck a cow along the Republic Road, New Amsterdam; Nicholas Agard, who was killed following a collision between his bicycle and a motorcycle at Stanleytown, New Amsterdam; and Lakhram Etwwaroo, who lost his life after the motor car in which he was travelling veered out of control and crashed into a GPL utility pole and a parked vehicle at Number 36 Village, Corentyne. While the circumstances differed, Bacchus said each case reflected the same underlying disregard for responsible road use.

Referring specifically to the Number 36 Village accident, he said alcohol consumption had played a decisive role. “They had just departed a bar. And when you go to a bar, it is to consume alcohol. Then they raced down the roadway. That investigation is still ongoing,” the commander said.

Police cannot be everywhere

He warned that reckless behaviour not only places drivers and riders at risk, but also innocent road users and business operators who often become unintended victims of traffic accidents. The commander noted that while police patrols and traffic enforcement have been intensified across Region Six, law enforcement alone cannot solve the problem. “The police cannot be everywhere at all times,” Bacchus said, adding that personal responsibility must play a central role in reducing accidents.

He urged motorists and motorcyclists to respect speed limits, avoid alcohol before driving and comply with instructions from traffic ranks, stressing that warnings are issued to prevent tragedy, not to harass road users. Meanwhile, police said the New Amsterdam crash has further highlighted the vulnerability of roadside vendors, who are often positioned close to traffic corridors with little physical protection. Bacchus said that unless driving habits change, the region risks seeing more families devastated by preventable road tragedies.

Investigations into Thursday night’s crash are ongoing.