Tragedy struck early Sunday, October 11, 2026 at Ada-George Road in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, after a speeding Lexus vehicle allegedly engaged in drifting knocked down and killed an elderly street sweeper.
An eyewitness who spoke at the scene said two young men, one driving a Mercedes Benz and the other a Lexus, were driving at high speed and allegedly drifting along the Ada-George axis.
According to the eyewitness, the driver of the Lexus lost control in the process and rammed into the sweeper who was carrying out her routine morning duty, killing her on the spot.
“The Lexus driver crashed into an elderly woman who was sweeping the road. The impact was so much. He later crashed into a nearby building and lost consciousness, but later regained consciousness. But the woman had already died,” the eyewitness said.
As of the time of filing this report, the identity of the deceased sweeper has not been officially released, while the condition of the Lexus driver is yet to be ascertained.
Men of the Rivers State Traffic Management Authority and the Police were said to have arrived the scene to control traffic and evacuate the remains of the victim.
Efforts to get official confirmation from the Rivers State Police Command proved abortive as at press time.
The incident has again raised concerns over reckless driving and the safety of street sweepers who work on major roads in Port Harcourt without adequate protection.
Residents have called on relevant authorities to enforce speed limits and install safety measures for road maintenance workers.
