B&B Eighteen-wheeler Flips on the Phillip Goldson Highway, Soft Drinks Everywhere!

For hours this morning, traffic was backed-up on the Phillip Goldson Highway.  A tractor-trailer loaded with products from Bowen and Bowen overturned near Mile Eight where road works are ongoing. The trailer was heading to Belize City from the bottling plant in Ladyville when the driver, Henry Williams, lost control of the vehicle and overturned.  Fortunately, Williams sustained minor injuries while the soft drinks and other beverages were strewn on the stretch of highway. The trailer was extensively damaged and investigations are ongoing to determine the cause of the accident, but speeding has not been ruled out. News Five’s Isani Cayetano reports.

Isani Cayetano, Reporting

Commuters traveling along the Phillip Goldson Highway this morning, in the vicinity of mile eight, came across the scene of a road traffic accident involving an eighteen-wheeler delivery truck.  The mishap occurred just before dawn as the driver of the vehicle was making his way towards Belize City.  The tractor-trailer rig, property of Bowen and Bowen Ltd., overturned on the highway, spilled the contents of its cargo unto the road.  Strewn across the route were dozens of plastic crates containing soft drinks and other beverages.  Authorities were notified of the accident sometime around four o’clock.

Leon Hewlett, O.C., Ladyville Police

Leon Hewlett

“Sometime between the hours of 3:30 a.m. and four a.m. on Friday, July 15th, 2016, information was received at the Ladyville Police Station of an accident at mile eight on the Phillip Goldson Highway.  Based on that information received, Ladyville police visited the scene where upon their arrival they observed a white International brand truck bearing license plate number A3521 overturned on the left hand side of the highway whilst traveling towards Belize City.”

At the site of the mishap earlier today, employees of Bowen and Bowen were on hand cleaning up the debris and sorting out goods that weren’t damaged during the accident.  The driver and his passenger were lucky to have escaped grave injuries.

Leon Hewlett

“Investigation further revealed that between those hours, twenty-five-year-old Henry Williams, Belizean truck driver of Bowen and Bowen Ltd., was driving the said truck on the highway from the direction of Ladyville towards Belize City when upon reaching mile eight he lost control of the truck which caused him to overturn.  As a result of that accident, Mr. Williams received minor injuries to the left arm, none of which is life threatening.  Accompanying him at the time inside the truck was one Angel Vargas who fortunately did not receive any injuries.”

Needless to say, the accident backed up inbound and outbound traffic for several hours, before the highway was cleared for passage around eight o’clock.

Leon Hewlett

“As a result of that accident, we had interruption in the flow of traffic leading up to about seven-thirty or eight o’clock this morning.”

Reporter

“Sir, do you all know at this time what caused the accident?”

Leon Hewlett

“Well from our investigation it appears that speeding might have been a contributing factor.  An investigation is still ongoing and as soon as information becomes readily available we will have that given to you.”

Reporter

“Any information compiled yet on the damages, not the damages, losses?”

Leon Hewlett

“Up to present the only thing we can say is that the truck is extensively damaged.  A couple products were indeed damaged but as to the value of that we cannot ascertain at this time.”

Reporter

“Sir, traffic-wise we are being told that vehicles are not necessarily respecting or being conscious of the works that are taking place along that stretch of the highway.  Anything to share in that regard?”

Leon Hewlett

“To say that at the very least we can’t say yes, we can’t say no to that.  Each driver out there is responsible for their own way of driving.  To say one is not respecting the speed limit, we cannot prove that.”

It is expected that an assessment of the total damages to both the vehicle, as well as its contents, will be determined shortly.

Isani Cayetano reporting for News Five.