Family of accident victim blames driver for taking his life
A tragic accident that occurred on Saturday, April twenty-eighth, has the family of Rafael Torres reeling with agony and anger. The twenty five year old butcher was riding his bicycle home when he was knocked down by a truck at the Western Highway roundabout entrance to Belize City. His sister, who asked to speak about the incident at the scene, says she believes it was driver error that caused the death of her brother.
Melonie Torres, Sister of Accident Victim
Melonie Torres
“He was right here. So people come out and they are talking to us and they want everybody picture how come that driver come this close because if he was almost to this edge, how come that truck had the power to hit him. So that driver was too close. So if da mi anybody mi deh deh, weh mi wah happen? That mi wah still happen. Whatever happen to my bredda, mi wah happen to another family and the family member mi wah di go through the pain weh we di go through. Now on his report he di say that the young man Torres handle knock his truck and thing. If it mi knock the truck, if he mi stop that moment, like we say when he drop, he neva mi dead. He drop like dah almost to the front of the truck. See this truck yah pass. He mi coulda see the truck pass and then my bredda mi deh more in. and then that big space he got, but that driver neva had a big space. So even if dah you mi even deh pan your bicycle, that truck mi wah hit you. And then he say dah the handle mi knock the truck. If the handle mi knock the truck, why he neva mi stop? He neva mi dead you know. He dead because of the impact and the knocking weh he get, he drop and eyewitness say he mi di try fi get up—fi balance and shub up—same time the truck continue and so the wheel run over his head.”
Jose Sanchez
Normally the police would send out a notice of intended prosecution to the driver of a vehicle that may have caused the death of a person. Have the police informed you anything of this?”
Melonie Torres
“Well we gone dah the station—up and down dah the station—until yesterday when time yesterday they tell we that they release the drivers and so. From there we noh hear nothing else. They say they give ahn some kind a paper, but we di picture how he could manage fi knock my bredda down off of that bicycle. If he say the bicycle handle mi knock he, why he neva mi stop that moment? Everybody wah know; everybody di picture it.”
Jose Sanchez
“He didn’t have to die.”
Melonie Torres
“He didn’t have to die.”
i did not see you out at the roundabout where your brother was killed. like you said, people are telling you. well i advise you that you are speaking to the wrong people. i know you lost your brother and that its a hard time for you and your family but dont be talking fool and trying to blame an innocent man. if you are a driver then you would understand me better. i assure you that with that tow head, the driver had no fault. its more likely your brother or the person he was riding with that collided with him that caused that mishap. he should have been riding better than that instead of putting an innocent driver into all that agony and remorse he killed a rider. have you thought on the poor driver that is filled with guilt of inadvertently taking the life of your brother who placed his head below his tire? ah? have you thought on that. i was out there and i assure you the driver could have done nothing to prevent that mishap but your brother or the other rider into which he collided could have prevented this mishap. so riders ride with care and observe the laws that are for your own good and no short cuts
Round about on a major highway is one of the dumdest things ever, especially when it comes to trucks. to avoid any mishap like this one again, trucks should have a specific route, and bicycle riders need to understand truck do not stop as fast as cars, and they need specific space to turn.
you can’t blame the driver that is where he belongs on the road.people likes to do foolishness by that round a bout.Rip to the mr Torress.A lot of people walk around that round about and they walk there as if it was meant for them to walk.the have four pedestrian ramp for them to pass on but the are lazy as hell,just a matter of time before someone get blasted by one of those stupid drivers that don’t pay attention.Jah bless
My sympathy to the family but I agree with you completely Ms Montegrado. Riders are major headches for drivers because they do all kinds of nonsense like cut ahead of you in a roundabout, jut out from a lane onto a major road etc! To quote a friend of mine, you never see a vehicle in a hospital bed or the morgue!
@ Jessica …you are rude and I hope this never happens to your family. She lost a brother and the person in the vehicle is to blame since he knock a down. Does not mean he did it on purpose but it is his fault. Your rude and inconsiderate. I understand what you d say but at least be considerate to the family. geez.
quite too often we see bicycle and motorcyle riders going up too close to these trucks when they are turning, and for a non driver it seems o.k., but as a driver you know that these trucks need additional space to make a turn, and you might see a truck going as if it is going in a different direction than it is actually going, the drivers has to dive that way to clear the long end of the trailer, that’s completely normal. Rule of thumb if u can’t see the driver in the face thru his rear view mirror, it’s more likely that he can’t see you either. so lets ride and drive to protect oneself, and you can never be too hurry to come too close to a moving truck or any other vehicle.
I do not want to place blame on the driver of the truck. As a driver, I understand that these large trucks take wide turns. I also know that alot of people ride their bikes without consideration of the traffic. Many a times young men ride in groups taking much of the road, or they ride in the middle of the road causing traffic hindrances. People need to drive and ride smartly.
@Jessica you are a very cold hearted individual. Your comments had absolutely no compassion as a human being and addressing someone that just experience a great loss. I am ashamed of you and I will pray for you that you never have to no what it feels like to be in that young lady’s shoe. SHAME ON YOU!!!!
This tragic death was cause by a faulty design of the round about. . . if someone should be blame, it should be the city or the company that design this dangerous round about.
One more place the city needs a camera installed.
The MINISTRY of TRNASPORTATION NEEDS TO ADDERSS THIS with A SERIES of PUBLIC SERVICE ANNOUNCEMENTS concerning TRAFFIC SAFETY for BOTH TRUCKS and BICYCLES.
My condolences to the family during their time of bereavement. Losing a loved one like that is something I wouldn’t wish on my worse enemy. Having said that, I do agree with those who say the driver isn’t to blame. It is obvious that Village girl and Phoenix don’t know the first thing about driving let alone to sit in a tow-head … you both clueless … no one is cold hearted or rude … fair is fair, is all I’m saying …
My condolences to the family during their time of bereavement. Losing a loved one like that is something I wouldn’t wish on my worse enemy. Having said that, I do agree with those who say the driver isn’t to blame. It is obvious that Village girl and Phoenix don’t know the first thing about driving let alone to sit in a tow-head … you both clueless … do either of you even understand what the blindside of a vehicle the size of a tow-head is? do either of you even understand that a tow-head cannot stop as easily as a small car? No one is cold hearted or rude … fair is fair, is all I’m saying … the guy didn’t deserve to die like that and my heart goes out to the family but the driver is not to be blamed!
@ Phoenix its not the vehicle fault. you seem ignorant of driving or even riding. the vehicle did not knock him down. your talk reflects your ignorance. i am telling you the vehicle did not touch the deceased but it was the other rider that collided with his bicycle causing him to fall below the tires immediate path and the other cyclist fell to the opposite side off the trucks path. we have to stop being nice and ignoring the facts of the case because its just encourages false information to proliferate and then people believe its the truth when its completely fake.
@ Village girl – i am an experienced person. this happens all the time. i guess you dont see that much in the village. this world is for the strong