Brothers Critically Injured in Separate Motorcycle Accidents in Lucky Strike

Tonight, two brothers are in the hospital after back-to-back road traffic accidents on Sunday. Eighteen-year-old Francis Mejia and fifteen-year-old Malachi Mejia, residents of Santana Village in Belize District, are the latest victims of road traffic accidents this month. The first incident occurred around ten a.m. while Francis and his friend, Carlos Garcia, were traveling on Altun Ha road when Francis collided with a vehicle and lost control of his motorbike. Shortly after, Francis’s brother, Malachi arrived on the scene to assist and while returning home to inform his parents, collided with a van.  News Five’s Britney Gordon reports.

 

Britney Gordon, Reporting

On the morning of his eighteenth birthday, Francis Mejia’s life was forever changed when he was involved in a road traffic accident that resulted in the amputation of one of his limbs. Around ten a.m., Mejia and his friend, Carlos Garcia were travelling on a motorcycle down Altun Ha road when he collided into the tail end of a vehicle turning onto another road. Mejia lost control of the cycle and veered off the path, crashing into a nearby house. The intensity of the impact left Mejia’s leg in a gruesome state and left Garcia with several broken bones. After hearing about the incident, Francis’ younger brother Malachi, rushed to the scene. It was during his race to get back home that the younger man collided with an approaching van. Their mother, Melonie Mejia, recounts the event.

 

Melonie Mejia, Mother of Victims

“Both of them are injured. One of them lost their foot and the next one has a broken leg.  Well, the next one, his left leg is broken and his wrist is broken on his left hand, and Francis is the one that took catching an accident first while the other one knee by the name of Malachi. He went on a cycle and look for his other brother, but I never know when he left because when my ma holler at me, I have my husband nephew in my hand. Then the next lady come and ask me. She said, please come ya miss please come ya, I figured more or less something done wrong already, right? And I said I can’t take it no more, I can’t take it no more. I just bawl out.”

 

The incidents occurred within such a short period that Mejia was hardly able to process the events. One of her sons lost his leg on his birthday while the other is unconscious in the days leading up to his birthday.

 

Melonie Mejia

“While I was driving down to Sandhill to catch a ride, So I call my husband, I tell him, I tell him, I told Francis ketch in an accident. He said, well the ambulance come for he. Alright, then I call him, I tell him that the next one ketch an accident, so we have to end up turning back.  So, that, that when I end up in the hospital, Malachi was unconscious.”

 

Britney Gordon

“I understand that it was Francis’s birthday.”

 

Melonie Mejia

“Yesterday was his birthday, and the next one is next two weeks from now.”

 

Melonie sympathizes with her son Francis, who after enduring a traumatic event, awoke to the news that his leg had been amputated.

 

Melonie Mejia

“All I know that. When he conscious this morning that when he know that his foot is cut off, but they couldn’t save it. They can’t do nothing better.”

 

Britney Gordon

“Your son, Malachi, went to the scene to see his brother in the accident and from what I’ve heard, he went back home to get you, to tell you this news.”

 

Melonie Mejia

“Actually, he don’t know weh I mi deh. So I guess that’s why it must happen that way.”

 

Britney Gordon

“And now both of them are, receiving medical attention. But are they in stable conditions?”

 

Melonie Mejia

“Both of them can’t move right now.”

 

She says the family is accepting any donations to fund her sons’ medical assistance or assist in their recovery, whether it be monetary or through the donation of a wheelchair or crutches.

 

Melonie Mejia

“My number is six-zero-seven-seven-three-nine-seven. The other one is six-two-nine-six-three-two-one. The next one is six-ten-zero-three-nine-five.”

 

Britney Gordon for News Five.