The 55-year-old driver of a van that was reported to be involved in a hit and run accident to the police on Thursday, went into the police station after midnight on Friday.
However, the driver told police the report must have been a case of mistaken identity as he never struck any pedestrian at the Pasea Road intersection along the Churchill Roosevelt Highway and was confused as to how a report of such nature went viral on social media on Friday.
Speaking with Guardian Media, the daughter of the driver said her father has denied the incident occurred and went to the station with the vehicle in question so police officers could inspect it.
However, the driver's daughter claimed that the officers on duty that night said there was no official report lodged in the station diary about the incident and as such said there was no need to inspect the vehicle.
Asked whether her father was at the intersection that day around the time of the alleged incident, which could have led to his vehicle being photographed at the intersection by eyewitnesses, the driver's daughter replied: "Maybe it is possible because we all work in the area and we pass there, but he said nothing like that never happened and it may have been another van that looked like his. My dad has been very distraught and stressed over this that he didn't sleep that night when we told him what people were saying about him on social media."
In the initial report, the victim, whose name is yet to be disclosed, was said to a man said to be in his 70s. He sustained serious injuries to the feet and lower body.
The vehicle in question was identified as a black Chevy Colorado.
Police said according to an eyewitness, at about noon the driver of the van knocked down the man who was attempting to cross the highway in the midst of traffic. Police said the man managed to get up and went to the shoulder where he lay down.
The eyewitness told police that the van driver, realising what happened, began to shout at the man, telling him he needed to look where he was going. The driver then drove off, leaving the man lying on the ground.
The man subsequently got up from the middle of the roadway and went to the side of the road. He was bleeding from both feet.
Police said a motorist pulled over and went to the aid of the victim.
The man was then taken to the Tunapuna Police Station where an official report was lodged. The victim was then taken to the hospital for treatment.
Contacted on the latest claims, however, a senior police officer assigned to the Northern Division said an investigation will now be launched into the alleged incident to ascertain what actually occurred that day.
CCTV footage will also be viewed.
