“I thank God for life” — those were the words of 35-year-old car wash operator Kevin McKenzie after a pickup bearing a trade plate crashed into his wash bay along the Number 30 Public Road, West Coast Berbice, on Friday night, leaving him injured and unable to walk.
The pickup reportedly veered off the roadway after the driver lost control and slammed into the wash bay operated by McKenzie at his residence. A motor car parked on the property was also damaged in the collision, and McKenzie’s 16-year-old stepsister was also injured.
Region Five Commander, Senior Superintendent Lonsdale Withrite, confirmed that the pickup was occupied only by the driver at the time of the accident.
McKenzie sustained injuries during the crash and was taken to the hospital, where he received stitches to his face and had his injured leg placed in a plaster cast.
Recalling the incident, McKenzie said he was inside the second shed of the wash bay when the pickup crashed into the structure.
“It happened suddenly. I ended up blacking out and didn’t know what happened after that. When I regained consciousness, my cousin and one of the men there took me to the hospital,” he said.
The father of two said he remains uncertain about the extent of the injury to his leg and is scheduled to return to the hospital for further medical assessment.
“I thank God for life, but right now I can’t walk or move around properly. I don’t know how long it will take before I recover,” he explained.
McKenzie, who operates the car wash as his source of income, said the injuries have left him worried about how he will support his family while recovering.
“This is how I make a living and take care of my children. If I can’t work, it will be very difficult for me,” he said.
In addition to his injuries, McKenzie said the crash caused significant damage to the wash bay and the parked vehicle. He is hoping that those responsible will address the losses incurred as a result of the accident.
The extent of the damage has not yet been determined. Investigations into the incident are ongoing.
