Several people rushed to the aid of a policeman who lay bleeding on the Churchill Roosevelt Highway after being thrown from his marked police motorcycle during rush hour traffic on Friday morning.

The accident led to a major pile-up of traffic.

[caption id="attachment_1016959" align="alignnone" width="1024"] People hold a blanket over the wounded policeman to shade him from the sun as they waited for the EHS ambulance to arrive. PHOTO BY ROGER JACOB -[/caption]

Police at the scene said it appeared that Constable Alston Drakes may have suffered severe internal injuries as a result of the accident which took place on the westbound lane of the highway. He was later taken to the Arima Hospital.

Police said that PC Drakes and two other officers were returning to their base at Traffic Branch in El Socorro, when at around 9.40 am, Drakes, who was the lead cyclist among the three, came into contact with the back of a silver-coloured Nissan Wingroad whose driver was attempting to overtake the car in front of him.

The policeman was thrown several feet in the air from his motorcycle and landed heavily on to the highway while his motorcycle skidded to a halt.

[caption id="attachment_1016961" align="alignnone" width="1024"] OFF TO HOSPITAL: Badly injured, PC Drakes is taken away for treatment following his accident on Friday along the Churchill Roosevelt Highway. PHOTO BY ROGER JACOB -[/caption]

Motorists and passers-by who saw what happened, sprang into action, going to the officers aid while a call was made for an EHS ambulance to arrive.

Newsday who was at the scene saw a woman put a pillow under the fallen officers head after his bloodstained helmet was removed. Others held a blanket as they stood over the officer in order to shade him from the blistering morning sun.

Eventually, the ambulance arrived, and PC Drakes was stabilised and taken away to hospital. Investigations are continuing.

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