A new road accident occurred this morning around 6 a.m. at km 110 on national road 1. A cyclist Fabrice Dorilas from the Vélo Club de Sinnamary, hit by a vehicle, lost his life. A tragedy which mourns the entire cycling community and arouses great emotion among the Guyanese population.
Catherine Lama/Jean-Gilles Assard/Céline Latchimy-Irissin
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Published on December 5, 2024 at 2:51 p.m.
Emotions are running high in Sinnamary and throughout Guyana. The cyclist knocked down around 6 a.m. this morning was well known in his town. Fabrice Dorilas, a member of the Sinnamary Vélo Club, was training when he was fatally struck by a vehicle on the RN1, at kilometer 110, near the entrance to the Pointe Combi road. He was a volunteer firefighter at the rank of lieutenant at the Sinnamary fire rescue center.
Victim of a head-on collision, Fabrice Dorilas was knocked down by a van traveling in the Kourou/Saint-Laurent direction. The driver of the van stopped to help him. In a state of shock, the latter was transported to CHK.
The investigation was entrusted to the Sinnamary gendarmerie brigade. She will have to determine the circumstances and responsibilities in this accident.
Fabrice Dorilas left this morning, as usual, to do his training session. An accomplished sportsman, he did not deviate from this principle, testifies his uncle, Raymond Dorilas:
“It’s a big shock!” He was known on Sinnamary, he played football, rode his bike, was a volunteer firefighter. He loved his sport, did his Tour de Guyana every year! Every day he was on the road towards Iracoubo or Kourou, morning or afternoon.”
An assiduity which cost the life of this 52-year-old father.
This is not the first time that the Sinnamary Vélo Club has tragically lost members. We remember this terrible accident that occurred on the morning of November 18, 2012 when a young motorist, after falling asleep at the wheel, mowed down a whole group of cyclists training on the Matourienne, killing the coach of the Sinnamary club, Joël Deschene. and the Italian rider Ferreol.
And history repeated itself four years later. Another young VCS runner, Arthur Heimriche, 20-year-old was hit by a car while joining a training teammate. He died shortly after at Cayenne hospital.
Practicing road cycling requires, like everywhere else, a lot of will and self-sacrifice. Collective training with an opener car and a sweeper car is not always possible and above all is not enough. To be competitive, cyclists also train individually at different times.
But the roads of Guyana, which are increasingly busy at all hours, have become very dangerous for runners.
This umpteenth accident raises questions and worries everyone; it will probably be discussed during the road and river safety meetings which are being held until December 13.
As of October 31, 2024, 24 people have died on the roads of Guyana.
