Two individuals were hospitalised following a dramatic rescue and subsequent fuel tanker explosion that caused the closure of all southbound lanes of the North Freeway near Tidwell Road for over twenty hours.
Houston police reported that a speeding vehicle collided with an 18-wheeler transporting fuel, causing the tanker to fishtail and overturn at approximately 10 p.m. on Saturday.Belizean Armin Franco, present in a neighbour’s yard a block away, heard the collision and immediately rushed to assist, accompanied by two other strangers. The truck was still in motion when they arrived at the scene.
Franco, along with the other good Samaritans, discovered the car’s driver bloodied, unconscious, and trapped.
Just seconds after extricating him from the wreckage, the tanker exploded, propelling the rescuers backward with its force.
Houston Police stated that the driver rescued by Franco remained in critical condition on Sunday.
“Maybe one day it could happen to me. That’s why I ran to help the guy,” Franco explained.
Forty-seven-year-old Oscar Mayen Rhodas, a Guatemalan truck driver, lost his life in a fatal road traffic accident along the Boom/Hattieville Road eleven months ago during a road traffic accident. A Dodge Dakota driven by a security guard, twenty-six-year-old Marvin Cal, collided into a pickup truck that Rhodas was traveling in. The impact caused Rhodas to be flung from the pan of the vehicle and onto the road, fatally injuring him. This morning, Cal appeared in the lower courts where he was read three traffic and indictable offenses, including manslaughter by negligence, causing death by careless conduct and drove motor vehicle without due care and attention. No plea was taken from Cal, who was unrepresented, and bail was granted in the sum of eight thousand dollars, plus two sureties of four thousand dollars each. Until the matter is disposed of, Cal is to report to the Hattieville Police Station every Tuesday and Friday, beginning May twenty-eighth. He returns to court on July twenty-second, 2024.
In April, there was an increase in road traffic accidents across the country, many of which involved the deaths of motorcyclists. It’s alarming, and the Ministry of Economic Development wants to curb the number of traffic fatalities. A program specifically designed to spread awareness of motorcycle safety is expected to be launched soon. News Five’s Britney Gordon has the first look.
Survivor
Survivor, Road Traffic Accident
“I was on the roundabout heading home, when I saw this car just merging into the roundabout as well. I thought it would stop as it’s supposed to, right? But it didn’t stop, so that’s when it hit the back of my bike. Then I went flying into the air, and at that moment I, the only thing I could do was put my hands down to protect myself as well as I can. Because of the lack of protective gear. I suffered some really deep cuts, some abrasions, really bad scrapes, the nurses really had to clean me out really well. They had to scrub all my injuries. That was one of the worst experiences and worst pains I’ve ever felt.”
Britney Gordon, Reporting
If you’ve noticed an alarming increase in road traffic incidents across the country, you’re not alone. April alone registered a record number of road traffic fatalities, several of which involved motorcyclists. To address the increase in these incidents, the Ministry of Economic Development launched its second phase of the Belize Road Safety Initiative, which works to increase public safety on the road through the spread of information and training. Sylvian Neal, office administrator of the project, spoke with us today about the initiative.
Sylvian Neal
Sylvian Neal, Office Administrator, Second Belize Road Safety Project
“We deal with initiatives such as a road user and education awareness component. We have an enforcement component. We have post-crash care as one of the components. And many of our activities, they go under one of these components, and the basic idea is again to improve road safety in Belize, build the awareness of everybody in Belize, and to improve the culture on our world.”
Neal said that the team has observed an increase in the number of motorcycle crashes and is preparing to launch a campaign specifically geared towards motorcycle safety.
Sylvian Neal
“It’s more of an educational campaign because we do have various campaigns geared towards speeding. are geared towards not drinking and driving. We have been rolling out many of those campaigns as the year has progressed up to now, no? And the specific campaign that I am referring to with regards to the motorcycle riders or users is basically one that we are still undergoing right now, and that includes developing flyers pamphlets, and then of course we have the videos that we try to send out to the media and also post on our social platform on the Facebook pages and TikToks and whatnot, no? All of that campaign includes those different aspects.”
Also working on the project is a member of the Belizean Youth for Road Safety, Jada Brown, who was trained by the team to educate drivers and assist in making Belize’s roads safer.
Jada Brown
Jada Brown, Member, Belizean Youth for Road Safety
“So now we have more people wanting to know about road safety, they’re interested in learning about road safety. So a big part of what we do is share important messages for fellow drivers and also people. Just road users on a whole, not only drivers.”
Britney Gordon
“How about when it’s closer to the holidays? Do you guys increase your efforts around that time in order to combat, the increase of traffic and alcohol usage?”
Jada Brown
“Yes. A big part of what we do, we around those times we would spread more messages like the infographics and commercials geared around those times because there’s a spike of crashes and incidents around those times. So we tend to push more messages around those times, especially for people drinking and driving, wearing helmets and seatbelts.”
The Road Safety Initiative also aids in promoting road safety through the training of public service members who operate vehicles daily. Krishner Ramirez from the Department of Transportation shared his experience with the program.
Kirshner Ramirez
Krishner Ramirez, Traffic Warden II, Department of Transportation
“It gives me a lot more knowledge on a broader sense to basically educate the public and have the public have an insight of what Really traffic and what basically everything that has to do with traffic on the road and the highways, the vehicles. It gives more knowledge to them to the work that we’re doing. So I praise these guys for basically having this energy to do this kind of work for us so that the public can have more knowledge of what’s going on.”
Ramirez said that the initiative is a noble cause, as lives can be saved through sharing information, no matter how small.
Krishner Ramirez
“To tell you the truth I would have to go with educating the public. Like I said we in Belize tend to have a tendency, me working on the ground in the field, and you stop and check these guys at the checkpoint scene. They give you information like, Oh, we didn’t know this. We didn’t know that. We didn’t know this, so with these guys, influentials, bringing these flyers out and educating the youths, them from a younger age and even the adults, it’s a beautiful thing. I think it’s one of the best things we’ve been doing since years. We’re just trying to promote more safety and more safety because of the fact that exactly what you just said, we’ve been seeing a lot more higher percentage in these incidents, especially on the motorbikes. And it’s sad, it leaves family broken, kids alone, and it’s a sad thing.”
As the number of drivers on the roads increases , Neil reminds motorists to be diligent and abide by traffic laws.
Sylvian Neil
“To motorcyclists, we urge our motorcycle riders to try and wear proper helmets, right? Wear the fully covered helmets, the ones that fully cover your face, DOT certified helmets, because those are the ones that are going to better protect you in case you crash, in case of a collision, right? It fully protects your head from head injuries, right? And We don’t want to see people riding with helmets on their handles, right? Because the helmet isn’t really there just for style. It’s really something to protect you, right? From impact. So we ask that you wear seatbelts, lock it, reduce speeding, don’t overtake”
One person lost his life following a vehicular crash on Tuesday afternoon. The victim has been identified as twenty-nine-year-old Marcelino Pop, a delivery man from Belmopan.
According to police, at around 12:30 p.m., officers responded to a traffic accident on St. Mathews Street in the Maya Mopan Area of Belmopan City. They arrived to find a silver Nissan Rogue and a blue Meilun 100cc motorcycle, both damaged.
Investigations revealed that twenty-one-year-old Calvin Martinez was driving the Nissan Rogue on Saint Matthew’s Street. As Martinez approached the corner of St. Jude Street, the motorcycle traveling collided with the left front side of the Nissan Rogue.
The collision caused Pop to be thrown off his motorcycle into the truck’s windshield and then onto the ground. Pop sustained serious head and body injuries and was rushed to the Western Regional Hospital. Unfortunately, he passed away while receiving treatment.
The extended weekend saw the deaths of several motorists, all from road traffic incidents. On Sunday, Elmer Flores was found lying motionless next to his motorcycle in Saint Matthew’s Village. Another fatal incident occurred the following day in Cayo District, when a motorcycle driver, identified as Justin Vasquez, was found with severe injuries to the head and body. Also at the scene was an abandoned pickup truck where the perpetrator presumably fled from. We spoke with Assistant Commissioner of Police Hilberto Romero for the full report.
“On Sunday, the twenty-eighth day of April 2024, police visited Saint Matthew’s Village where there was a report of a fatal road traffic accident. Upon arrival, police saw a Ford one fifty pick-up and a motorcycle extensively damaged. Police finally checked and saw the lifeless body of a man, Elmer Flores forty-six-years with several injuries. He was taken to the hospital where he was pronounced dead on arrival. Information is that Alberto Romero was driving the ford one fifty and he overtook several vehicles and collided into the motorcycle just coming in the opposite direction. An investigation was carried out and Alberto Romero has since been arrested and charged with driving motor vehicle due to careless intention. Causing death by careless conduct and manslaughter by negligence.”
Reporter
“No alcohol involved?”
Hilberto Romero
“Urine specimen was obtained and that will be tested. On Monday, the twenty-ninth of April, 2024 police visited Cristo Ray Road where there was a fatal road traffic accident. They saw a motorcycle with damages and found at the scene was a person later identified as Justin Vasquez, thirty-one-years, with several injuries to the head and body. He was taken to the hospital where he was pronounced dead on arrival. Information is that a pickup truck had crashed into a lamppost and the wires were hanging across the street when the motorcycle came and he got caught in the wires. We are still looking for the driver of that vehicle who fled from the scene after the accident.”
Earlier, we reported on two fatal road traffic accidents that occurred this weekend that led to the deaths of two individuals. Regrettably, there are two more deaths to report because of road collisions. On Saturday, a sixty-three-year-old man was found injured on the Bullet Tree Road near his motorcycle. He was taken to the hospital where he later succumbed to his injuries. The following day, on the Phillip Goldson Highway, a person was found dead near his bicycle. One person has been detained for the incident. Assistant Commissioner of Police Hilberto Romero gave us some more details.
“On Saturday, the twenty-seventh of April, 2024, police responded to a fatal road traffic accident on the Bullet Tree Road. Upon arrival, they saw a red pickup and a motorcycle with damages. Information is that the motorcycle is being driven by Jamil Betran, sixty-three years. He received several injuries. He was taken to the hospital where he passed away two days after. Rene Kewell was the driver of the vehicle involved in a red pickup. He was arrested and charged for fail to provide specimen for analysis.”
Reporter
“So likely alcohol was involved?”
Hilberto Romero
“Yes, that is what we suspect. He was under the influence of alcohol. “
Reporter
“Will more charges be levied?”
Hilberto Romero
“Yes, our charges will be upgraded since the victim passed away. On Sunday, the twenty-eighth of April, 2024, police visited an area between mile seventy-seven and seventy-eighth on the Phillip Goldson Highway. Upon arrival, they saw a bicycle with damages. A male person later identified as Gabrielle Chable with several injuries. He was taken to the hospital where he was pronounced dead on arrival. Police later recovered a Toyota four runner vehicle. A person was detained. He was identified as Carlos Avila and he has now since been arrested and charged for manslaughter by negligence, causing death by careless conduct and drove motor vehicle without due kind attention.”
A motorcyclist perished in a fatal road traffic accident on Saturday morning near Crooked Tree Village. Fifty-eight-year-old Richard Crawford was traveling along the stretch of road when he was knocked down and killed by Andy Gillett, the driver of a Mazda Tribute that crashed into Crawford. The thirty-three-year-old fisherman was charged with several counts related to the deadly incident. Here’s more from Assistant Commissioner of Police Hilberto Romero.
“About 6:20 a.m. on Saturday, police responded to a fatal road traffic accident at Crooked Tree Village. Upon their arrival, they saw a Mazda pickup extensively damaged and a motorcycle. Information is that Andy Gillett was driving the Mazda vehicle when he lost control and collided into a motorcycle being driven at the time by Richard Crawford. Crawford received severe injuries and was taken to the KHMH where he was pronounced dead on arrival. An investigation was carried out and Andy Gillett has been arrested and charged for the crimes of manslaughter by negligence, causing death by careless conduct and drove motor vehicle without due care and attention.”
This morning, Gillett appeared before the lower court in the presence of attorney Orson ‘OJ’ Elrington. No plea was taken from Gillett as the offenses for which he was charged are being dealt with on indictment. He was offered and met bail in the sum of eight thousand dollars, and must report to the Ladyville Police Station every Friday. Attorney Elrington spoke briefly following Gillett’s arraignment.
Orson ‘OJ’ Elrington
Orson ‘OJ’ Elrington, Attorney-at-law
“Yes, he was arraigned for three different charges: manslaughter by negligence, causing death by careless conduct and driving without due care and attention. The matter came before the learned magistrate this morning and he was granted bail in the sum of eight thousand dollars with two sureties.”
Reporter
“Are you familiar with the accident this weekend?”
Orson “OJ” Elrington
“No, right now we don’t have anything beyond what is the summary of facts which, again, I always say is a misnomer because it’s the police’s version of the facts. And so, until I have been able to, we obviously have disclosure on July fourth, I believe. The court has set disclosure for July fourth. Then is when we will have the evidence that the prosecution intends to us against my client for the substantive matter.”
A seven-year-old minor also lost his life in a fatal road traffic accident over the weekend. On Sunday, Martin Swift Senior and his family were traveling along the Old Northern Highway in the vicinity of Lucky Strike Village when their vehicle overturned. Several persons were injured during the accident, including Martin Swift Junior, who succumbed to his injuries at the K.H.M.H.
“On Sunday, April twenty-first, there was a fatal RTA between miles twenty-eight and twenty-nine on the Old Northern Highway. Police visited the area where they saw a vehicle, a Mercedes Benz overturned. Information is that the driver of that vehicle is Martin Swift who was along with several of his family members when he lost control of the vehicle and the vehicle flipped. Several of them received injuries and they were taken to the KHMH for treatment where Martin Swift Jr., seven years, succumbed to his injuries. They are presently receiving treatment at the KHMH and they are expected to recover. The area where the accident occurred, there’s a curve and yes, we believe speeding was the cause.”
A fatal road traffic accident claimed the lives of two persons in southern Belize on Sunday. The deadly collision happened in Toledo District near the Jacintoville junction where two vehicles including a pickup truck crashed head-on along the Southern Highway. The massive impact of the collision left Kelvin Selgado and Yofeni Benguche with mortal injuries. According to the driver of the pickup, the vehicle driven by Kelvin Selgado veered into his lane, causing the accident. Assistant Commissioner of Police, Hilberto Romero provided additional details.
“On Sunday, April fourteenth police responded to a fatal road traffic accident at the Jacintoville Bridge in the Toledo District. Upon their arrival, they saw Chevy Equinox vehicle and a Chevy Silverado pickup extensively damaged. Persons were taken to the hospital for treatment. Police made checks at the hospital where Kevin Selgado and Yofani Benguche were pronounced dead. An investigation is being carried out into this fatal RTA. Information is that the Silverado was being driven by Danny Edwards and he reported that whilst crossing the bridge, the other vehicle entered his lane, causing the accident.”
Reporter
“Is there any indication that alcohol, low visibility or vehicle malfunction may have caused it?”
Hilberto Romero
“We do not know at this time. Tests will be done and the investigation will reveal that thereafter.”
