Auto Accidents - Channel 5 Belize

5-Year-Old Died in RTA on His Birthday, Along with Two Family Members

On Friday night, tragedy struck the Tush family of Aguacate Village, while they were on the Southern Highway returning home from a night of celebrating a child’s birthday. Twelve family members left the village that evening inside a Toyota pickup truck and made their way to Punta Gorda Town for dinner to celebrate Michael Tush’s fifth birthday. On their way back, the pickup truck driven by fifty-one-year-old Jose Tush collided into a Ford F- 350. Forty-Three-Year-Old Emilio Lizama was driving that vehicle. Upon impact, the passengers of the Toyota were violently flung from the pickup. At the time there were seven minors, including one teenager and four adults, inside. Unfortunately, three people succumbed to injuries sustained from the collision. They are fifty-one-year-old Jose Tush, his daughter seventeen-year-old Renita Tush and five-year-old Michael Tush whose birthday the family was celebrating. We spoke with one family member over the phone about the tragedy.

On the Phone: Primo Tush, Relative of Deceased

“They were heading from Punta Gorda, heading to Aguacate Village and when they were between Elridgeville and Jacintoville they encountered someone on a bicycle and after passing that person on the bicycle they encountered a vehicle coming in the opposite direction with no light and then all of a sudden the driver turned on his light and flashed it directly in front of my brother which caused brief loss of his vision and that led to him losing control of the vehicle. They live in Aguacate Village, but it was the child that died birthday. It was his birthday so they decided that as a family they would head into town for dinner and that is when this happened. So far there are still two in the hospital, one is in Punta Gorda Hospital, and one is in K.H.M.H. in a very critical condition.”

Reporter

“How old is that at K.H.M.H.?”

On the Phone: Primo Tush

“The one at K.H.M.H. is six years old. When I got the message, I was very heartbroken. I was not expecting it because the last time I spoke with my brother was like two days ago. He asked me to come home, please come home and that is what ran through my mind. He asks me to come home and it is very heartbreaking. Of course we want justice for my brother and the minor and teenager that passed away. We need good investigation to get to the bottom of this. Losing three family members is not something easy. It is very hard and my sister-in-law is still in shock right now and we are trying to come together to come together and support each other. So, we are asking the relevant authority to look into this matter seriously and we are asking them to please assist us in speeding up the postmortem examination so that we can lay my brother and nephew and niece to rest in peace.”

Anyone wishing to assist the Tush family with mounting medical expenses can contact them at six, two, nine, eight, six, three, two.

Police Investigating Weekend Fatal RTA in Toledo

We also heard from Assistant Commissioner of Police Hilberto Romero on this tragic incident. A.C.P. Romero revealed that the driver of the second vehicle remains hospitalized. Police are waiting for the survivors to be released from the hospital to probe further into what exactly transpired.

A.C.P Hilberto Romero, Regional Commander, Eastern Division

“On Friday the twelfth day of July 2024, police responded to a fatal road traffic accident between the villages of Eldridgeville and Hacintoville in the Toledo District. Upon arrival they saw a Ford 350 pickup and a Toyota pickup excessively damaged, several person’s received injuries, they were taken for treatment. Day after, police visited the hospital where Renita Tush, Jose Tush, Tyrone Tush were all pronounced dead at the Punta Gorda Hospital. Investigation is being carried out into this fatal road traffic accident. The other driver is receiving treatment at this time.”

Reporter

“And then, investigators identified maybe any weather conditions or any conditions of the road that you believe may play a part in this accident in anyway?”

Hilberto Romero

“No, at this time, statements will be recorded as several persons are injured or getting treatment at the hospital, and at the end of the investigation we’ll make a determination on what will happen next.”

Reporter

“Was It a matter of losing control or overtaking?”

Hilberto Romero

“The information is that the person was overtaking and did no make it in time and collided into the other vehicle.”

Reporter

“Are you able to say which one of the drivers that is, or which one of the vehicles?”

Hilberto Romero

“The person that was overtaking at the time was Jose Tush.”

Relatives of Patients Break Hospital’s Door, Window

News Five was contacted by a source at the Southern Regional Hospital. The person explained that in the early hours of this morning, two individuals were involved in a traffic accident four miles outside of Dangriga. The incident prompted an urgent response from local medical staff.

The person explained that nurses on duty at the time heard the vehicle’s horn and immediately recognised the situation as an emergency. They swiftly opened the front door with a hospital bed to assist the patients, who were then placed on beds and secured inside the facility. The door was locked to prevent other patients from gathering in the area.

Despite these precautions, attempts were made to force entry through another door and window. The police were contacted after midnight and arrived at the emergency room after 2 a.m.

Due to the severity of their injuries, the patients needed to be transferred to Karl Heusner Memorial Hospital (KHMH). The nurse and driver left without security escort. Meanwhile, threats were made against the staff by individuals attempting to gain access to the emergency room.

There were three female nurses and two doctors on duty at the time. Although security personnel were present, they were unarmed, necessitating the call to the police. Commissioner of Police Chester Williams was informed of the incident this morning and has pledged to look into the matter.

Adding to the challenges faced, it was noted that the emergency room’s security camera was not operational at the time of the incident.

Little Boy Who Perished in RTA was Celebrating His Birthday

A tragic road traffic accident in Toledo claimed the lives of three family members, including a man, his daughter, and his grandson. Twelve people were involved in the incident, with two minors still hospitalised and one in critical condition at KHMH.

The accident occurred as the family travelled from Punta Gorda to Aguacate Village. The crash was triggered when an oncoming vehicle with no lights suddenly flashed its lights, causing the driver, Jose Tush, to lose control while attempting to overtake. The collision resulted in extensive damage to both a Ford 350 pickup and a Toyota pickup.

Assistant Commissioner of Police Hilberto Romero provided details, stating that police responded to the accident between Eldridgeville and Jacintoville on July 12, 2024. Several individuals sustained injuries and were taken for treatment. Renita Tush, Jose Tush, and Michael Tush were pronounced dead at the Punta Gorda Hospital. The family was out celebrating Tyrone’s fifth birthday.

ACP Romero noted that the driver of the second vehicle remains hospitalized. The police are waiting for the survivors to recover before probing further into the circumstances of the crash. Romero confirmed that the accident occurred due to overtaking and that the investigation will continue to determine the final details.

Primo Tush, a relative of the deceased, expressed the family’s heartbreak and called for a thorough investigation. He urged authorities to expedite the postmortem examinations to allow the family to lay their loved ones to rest.

If you want to assist the family with funeral expenses, you can deposit a donations into Belize Bank account number 231010010160000.

9 Dead in Separate Incidents Over the Weekend

Nine people lost their lives over the weekend in tragic incidents across the country.

Tragedy in the South

The first incident occurred on Friday night on the Thomas Vincent Ramos Highway between the villages of Elridgeville and Jacintoville. It was a vehicular collision. Three people, a man and his two minor children, died in the collision, which involved a Ford F350 driven by forty-three-year-old Emilio Lizama and a Toyota pickup driven by fifty-one-year-old Jose Tush. According to police, Lizama’s truck collided with the Toyota after another vehicle attempted to overtake a motorcycle and hit the front end of Lizama’s vehicle.

The victims include seventeen-year-old Renieta Tush, who was thrown to the shoulder of the highway and died on the scene; her father, Jose Tush, who died behind the wheel; and five-year-old Michael Tush, who succumbed to his injuries at the hospital.

Other passengers, including thirteen-year-old Nathan Pop, ten-year-old Maki Pop, Eric Teul, twenty-nine-year-old Catherine Salam, three-year-old Kadira Tush, and eight-year-old Kailyn Tush, were injured and treated at Punta Gorda Hospital. A urine sample was taken from Emilio Lizama, and a Notice of Intended Prosecution (NIP) was served.

Four Dead in Orange Walk RTA

The second fatal traffic incident occurred on Sunday morning, and it claimed four lives. The victims have been identified as forty-one-year-old Cecilio De Jesus Arana from Orange Walk Town, thirty-seven-year-old Gustavo Chi, Angelita Chi, and an unidentified male. The collision occurred at around 6:40 a.m. between miles forty-five and forty-six on the Philip Goldson Highway. The grey Mitsubishi Montero Sport, driven by Arana, was found on the right-hand side of the highway. Arana was discovered motionless in the driver’s seat, while a Hispanic male passenger, suffering from facial cuts, was trapped in the front seat. Police Constable Andy Garcia was in the back seat with a broken right foot and facial cuts.

A black Pontiac Vibe SUV, driven by Jesus Chi, a teacher from Palmar Village, was located with severe front-end damage. Chi was trapped behind the steering wheel with large cut wounds to both knees. Gustavo was found motionless in the front passenger seat, and Angelita was lying face-up on the pavement near the vehicle with a severe injury. Initial investigations revealed that the grey Mitsubishi was travelling towards Belize City while the black Pontiac was heading in the opposite direction. The Pontiac lost control and collided head-on with the Mitsubishi.

Did Both Men Drowned?

On Sunday morning, Burley Thompson Jr.’s body was recovered from the Macal River in San Ignacio Town. Police responded to a call at the riverbank, where his body was discovered shortly after 11:00 a.m. Thompson was last seen leaving Princess Casino around 3:00 a.m. on Saturday, walking downhill near the San Ignacio Hotel. His family had sought public assistance in locating him after he went missing. A post-mortem examination is scheduled as part of the ongoing investigation.

In a separate incident in Ladyville, a man’s body was retrieved from the waters near the marina in the Vista Del Mar area on Saturday afternoon around one o’clock.

Man Dies After Crashing into Cow on Hummingbird Highway

A twenty-six-year-old man is dead, following a traffic accident that involved two vehicles, a motorbike, and a cow on the Hummingbird Highway. Reports are that on Friday night, Lokenver Montero was riding his motorcycle on the highway when he crashed into a dead cow. The cow was killed after two vehicles crashed into it five minutes earlier. Montero was rushed to hospital and spent the weekend fighting for his life. He passed away on Tuesday. ComPol Williams weighed in on the incident and the criminal charges that livestock owners can face in such an instance.

Chester Williams, Commissioner of Police

“It is a really difficult situation. I myself occasionally almost run into a cow or horse on the highway. Sometimes you just see them pop up right in front of you. It is very frightening. I would just appeal to the owners of these animals to do the best they can to keep them off the highways. Sometimes they tend to tie them on the edge of the highway and then the animal ends up getting lose and ventures on to the road. That is extremely dangerous. It has to start with the owners of these animals but if it is that we were to establish who the owners of these animals are I think there is a way we would be able to bring charges against those owners. They have a legal responsibility to ensure that the animals are secure and does not pose a danger to the public. So, I am sure there is something we can do if we establish who the owner is.”

Tourist Van Runs off Road in Belmopan

On Wednesday, a group of tourists was involved in an accident on the Hummingbird Highway after the driver, Juan Esquivel, a forty-seven-year-old tour guide, lost control of the vehicle and ran off the road. The van was transporting a group of tourists, consisting of several teachers and students. They were transported to the Western Regional Hospital for observation and according to reports, at least one minor suffered a sprained ankle. However, no serious injuries were reported. As Hurricane Beryl approaches the region, Belize will continue to experience heavy rainfall and flooding. Considering this, the Belize Police Department advises the public to exercise caution when travelling on wet roads and avoid flooded areas. In an advisory from the department, motorists are cautioned to slow down during and after rainfall, avoid making sudden turns or lane changes, and be mindful of debris on the roadways.

BREAKING: Two Police Officers Rushed to Hospital Following RTA

News Five has confirmed that three individuals were rushed to the hospital following a road traffic incident earlier this morning. Two of them are police officers.

We are told that investigators are at the scene.

The vehicular crash happened in Ladyville Village, Belize District.

Video of the accident shows persons rescuing the accident victims.

This is a developing story.

Another Tapir Knocked Down and Killed

The Belize Wildlife and Referral Clinic is reporting that a second tapir was knocked down and killed in three days. In a Facebook post, the clinic said that the incident occurred on the Hummingbird Highway on Sunday morning.

On Friday, June 14, News Five reported that a tapir was knocked down near Maya Center Village.

The Belize Wildlife and Referral Clinic said, “Like many species, tapirs are vulnerable to nighttime and early morning collisions with vehicles, and this can have devastating consequences not only for the tapir.”

Belize’s national animal was buried with the help of the team at Sleeping Giant Rainforest Lodge.

The Belize Wildlife and Referral Clinic is asking drivers to drive with extra caution on the roads, especially at night.

Vehicle Rear-ends Tractor, One Man is Dead

A fatal road traffic accident in Stann Creek District on Saturday has claimed the life of Eduardo Palacios. The vehicle that he and three other passengers were traveling in collided into the back of a tractor, causing major damages to the Ford Escape. Despite being rushed for emergency medical treatment, Palacios perished from his injuries.

ACP Hilberto Romero, Regional Commander, Eastern Division

“Police responded to an area near Santa Cruz Village where there was a report of a fatal road traffic accident. Upon their arrival, they saw a tractor with damages, as well as a Ford Escape vehicle extensively damaged. Information is that the Ford Escape crashed into the back of the tractor. Four occupants were in the Ford Escape and they were all taken for treatment where Eduardo Palacios succumbed to his injuries. An investigation is being carried out into this report.”