2024-09-16 - Channel 5 Belize

Mother Dies in Car Accident, Daughter and Grandchildren Survive

A fatal road traffic accident has claimed the life of yet another Belizean. Over the weekend, sixty-four-year-old Melva Myers was travelling with her three grandchildren on the George Price Highway. Behind the steering wheel was her daughter, Tiffany Licona, who was headed toward Belize City. Reports are that after overtaking a pickup truck around mile fourteen, Licona lost control of the vehicle and crashed into a fence on the other side of the road. Licona and the three minors escaped grave injuries, Myers, however, succumbed to her injuries on the scene. Here’s News Five’s Britney Gordon with more details.

Britney Gordon, Reporting

The death toll from fatal road traffic accidents across the country continues to climb at a staggering rate. On Saturday around seven-thirty a.m., sixty-four-year-old Melva Myers was being driven to the Philip Goldson International Airport by her daughter, Tiffany Licona. Along with them were Myers’ grandchildren, ages eleven, nine, and five years old when Licona reportedly lost control of the vehicle around mile fourteen. From all indications, Myers who wasn’t wearing a seatbelt, was flung from the vehicle, and suffered severe head and body injuries. She was scheduled to fly to the U.S. for an annual medical checkup. Selvyn Myers tells us that he began to feel uneasy when his mother failed to answer his calls that morning.

Selvyn Myers, Son of Deceased

“This all started when I was at work. I was at the the booth by Belcan. And I left the night before and I kissed her on the forehead and I said I love you momma and she said I love you more son. I seh I wa hike from Belama tomorrow when I come off work. I wahike fi see you ketch the iron bird. But in the morning, I neva call and ask nothing. I she I noh wa go that airport to early because from Belama to the airport very short. Soh I seh I ih deh call ah and see how far ih deh so I could make my way there because I ony need half an hour the most. So I call her phone and I get no response. So I call my sister phone, I get no response either. Then I felt so funny, I felt so bad. I had to sit down. And Ieven had to pray much harder.”

After another attempt to reach his family, Myers’ niece answered the phone and informed him that they had been in an accident. He rushed to the scene in cab and was met with the grisly sight of his mother laying on the ground motionless.

Selvyn Meyres

“I di tell taximan go as fast as you could sir please. Just drive as fast as you could because I noh want my ma inna sun hot di tek lick cuz I no know how badly ih get hurt. When I reach, I see my sister sitting down and she was band upp on the left side. I then I get a glimpse pf my mom laying by the vehicle by the fense. And I run there and I try to do chest compression or cpr. I pray for a pulse or something. I tap her foot bottom and somebody she your momma died already breda. I saw that they had like a lee sweater thing over my momma face and I lift it up and see like froth from her mouth. And I just start to cry and cry because. I should have meet her at the airport.”

The family was transported to the KHMH where Melva was pronounced dead on arrival. Licona sustained injuries to the left side of her body and underwent surgery today. The three minors were not seriously injured. According to her son, Myers was blind in one eye and losing vision in the other, often requiring assistance to get in an out of vehicles.

Selvyn Meyres

“When I am at home and my mom would get in any vehicle, I would gi and fix the seatbelt for her personally. I will even escort her to the vehicle to se that nih fall because she is totally blind in one eye. She has a small percentage in the other but she beleice that she could do everything alone but I noh trust it. I tell ah I noh want you fall momma so I hold her hand and I will take her all the way from here to the vehicle there. And if she go out late, I wa plug out the light and plugh it in right by the corner there so she could see and even go meet ah. And put on her seatbelt. The way I see it, my momma was thrown from the vehicle. You understand?”

More heart wrenching for Myers was the way in which his mother died. For as long as he could recall, his mother had been terrified of traffic accidents.

Selvyn Meyres

“What even pain me more because my momma, she fear the road really bad. She noh like hear about accident/ That da how soft she soft. I tell she about some traffic accident ah when I gi pan the scene and because I have twenty-three years inna the police department also and I go pan some real tragic scene. She woulda she noh tell mi bout it son. I ketch coldseed. So ewhen I saw yer out there like that just make my heart just drop because I she the same thing that my poor momma fear. That’s the thing that took he life.”

Myers says that his mom was the most outstanding person he ever knew. He recalls times when she would go out of her way to assist the less fortunate; such as a family in need of a wheelchair for a young daughter.

Selvyn Meyres

“My mom said I know a lady who have a wheelchair to give away son. I will talk toi the lady and I will take the wheelchair to the little girl momma. I sah mein my momma not even hundred percent healthy like that. But I neva get bex. I see ah up and odwn, up and down dig try with this wheelchair. But I can tell you , my momma was and is and will always be the best. Who want tell you the truth about my momma could tell you that Melva Elizabeth Myeres was a wonderful human poan the face of this earth.”

Britney Gordon for News Five.

Ambulance Driver Arrested for Killing Two Motorcycle Riders

There’s been an alarming increase in the number of road traffic accidents across the country; several of them were caused by reckless or negligent drivers. This week alone saw three fatal accidents in southern and western Belize. Today, police made an arrest for an incident that occurred in February of 2023. Last year, two people were killed after being knocked down by an ambulance. The incident occurred near the Beaver Dam Bridge in Saint Matthew’s Village. The victims, forty-one-year-old Aurelio Ayala and twenty-one-year-old Joana Somoza were attempting to cross the bridge on a motorcycle when the driver of the ambulance, Josh Barrillas, collided into the back of the bike. Barrillas claims that he did not notice the motorcycle in front of him at the time of the incident. Today, police formally arrested and charged Barrillas with two counts of Manslaughter by Negligence and two counts of Causing Death by Careless Conduct.

Man Dies in Motorcycle Accident in Hopkins Village

A man lost his life in a fatal motorcycle accident in Hopkins Village on Saturday night. Nineteen-year-old Amaad Arana was almost at his destination at a nightspot on the Hopkins access road when he was knocked down and killed. Sadly, one of Arana’s brothers who was at the nightclub witnessed the incident and never knew that it was his brother until he ran out to render aid. Meanwhile, chairman of Hopkins Macario Augustine is calling for speed bumps to be placed along the stretch of road. News Five’s Marion Ali visited Hopkins Village and filed this report.

Marion Ali, Reporting

This is where the motorcycle that nineteen-year-old Amaad Arana was riding ended up after it was struck from behind by a vehicle. The driver of the mid-size SUV attempted to overtake him as he turned into this entrance to the Uno Service Station near Savannah View Restaurant. This is also where he was heading for a night of socializing.

Raheem Casimiro, Brother of Amaad Arana

“He told me he was coming to Savannah right here at the night club. That’s the last text I got from him. Me and my other brethren were sitting right there at the top. We saw everything. My brethren told me “watch this” before it even happened. By the time I could sit down, all yoh hear da jus wa bang.”

Raheem Casimiro was already at the establishment and witnessed the accident from the deck where he was seated. He did not know that it was his brother who was knocked down.

Raheem Casimiro

“We reach down ya, not knowing it was Amaad, not knowing he was under the vehicle. We rolled back the vehicle and I looked at him and when I saw his face, I went under the vehicle for him and picked him up, me and my other brethren. I told him to stay with me, stay with me but I know he was already gone.”

Macario Augustine, chairman of Hopkins Village, told News Five that Arana was a popular athlete in the community.

Macario Augustine, Chairman, Hopkins Village

“We took a team to Belize City. I think a couple months ago. I mean, they were like – he was like always full of energy. He’s always full of energy and he’s a respectable young man as well. He was always engaged in sports and always on go when it comes to like competition or – he always engaged in sports in the community.”

Raheem Casimiro

“This is a nightclub and people leave from here intoxicated and everything soh wi need a speed bump right here.”

According to the chairman, the area where the accident happened is known for speeding. He hopes that authorities will place speed bumps there to avoid a repeat of this tragedy.

Macario Augustine

“We did request some bumps within the village, but we’re still waiting. And I think, I mean, it’s time for us to install those bumps in these areas, particularly in this area, which is in – we have businesses here, gas stations. So I mean, this is very needed of bumps in this area.”

Raheem Casimiro says that Amaad was a passenger on the motorcycle.

Raheem Casimiro

“The driver that was driving the vehicle was trying to overtake, same time the guys were turning on the motorbike into the night club. That was when the impact happened. When we done put Ahmad in the vehicle and rush him to the hospital that was when I walked back here and that was when I saw the other guy in the drain, lay out.”

Keegan Martinez, who drove the motorcycle, suffered non-life-threatening injuries and is expected to make a full recovery. Marion Ali for News Five.

Woman from Santa Rosa Dies in Traffic Mishap in Maya Mopan

There was a second fatality further south and the victim on Saturday morning was a woman from Santa Rosa Village who had just taken up residency when she found love in Maya Mopan Village. In this incident, the victim was also a passenger. The vehicle overturned several times, and she was flung to her death. News Five’s Marion Ali reports.

Marion Ali, Reporting

Melanie Cal had just moved from Santa Rosa to Maya Mopan Village a few weeks ago, when she reportedly found love. She was a passenger in a pickup truck with several others from Maya Mopan Village who were heading out of the community on Saturday morning. The vehicle never made it out to the highway, however, because it somehow flipped, killing Cal.

Reymundo Peck, First Alcalde, Maya Mopan Village, Stann Creek

“Between the hour of eleven and twelve o’clock, I received a call from one of our drivers that was traveling towards Georgetown. They asked me to go and check that there was a fatal accident on the road close to Maya Mopan. And I hurried and made my way there. And when I reached there, of course there was a pickup truck on the road.”

Chairman of Maya Mopan, Reymundo Peck Told News Five that they rendered assistance to another passenger who had suffered a broken leg. Cal, however, was already apparently dead, he said.

Reymundo Peck

“When I made more checks then I find out that there was a body lying close to the vehicle yeah, and the family members there wanted to take the body that has passed away, but I told them that they couldn’t remove the body because for the police – so that’s the reason why they had to left the body except, the one that has a broken knee. They had to transport that [one] to the hospital.”

Peck said that the accident happened near the site of a previous mishap, and that it appears the driver simply lost control of the vehicle on the dirt road.

Reymundo Peck

“You can see where the vehicle wheel passed out of the road. And the vehicle went back on the track, but then I believe there’s where she lost control. Yeah. And flip. Yeah.”

Police are yet to share details of the accident. Marion Ali for News Five.

Shyne Barrow, “No national convention on October twentieth.”

A national convention has been called for October twentieth and, according to Shyne Barrow, the gathering of U.D.P. delegates from across the country isn’t sanctioned by the United Democratic Party. The special unity convention was announced by the Alliance for Democracy earlier this month, amid a widening chasm within the U.D.P. Since then, Albert Area Representative Tracy Panton has been touting the upcoming event as an opportunity for the voices of avid supporters to be heard. On Sunday, the chairman of the U.D.P. sent out a public notice to all delegates, echoing the executive’s decision that members of the Alliance, including Patrick Faber, Tracy Panton and John Saldivar, have been kicked out of the party. Chairman Michael Peyrefitte also reminded that, “any decisions derived from this event are without substance and with no legal bearing on the U.D.P. and will therefore not be recognized by the U.D.P.”

Shyne Barrow, Party Leader, U.D.P.

“There is no national convention on October twentieth. It’s similar to me coming to the House and telling the Speaker you have to vacate those seats and I don’t agree with your decision. And I implore the media to be responsible, John Saldivar is not a member of the UDP. Patrick Faber is not a member of the UDP. Tracy Panton is not a member of the UDP. So whatever activity or convention that they will be having is not a UDP convention, we have an elected party chairman. We have an elected leadership executive. So what if I get up now on the adjournment and say November sixth, we’re gonna have general elections and I invite everybody to come out, are you going to say well if everybody comes out and votes for the UDP then you will be the prime minister, Shyne? It doesn’t work like that. It is in the UDP constitution that their behavior is illegal and their behavior warrants expulsion, and it is in the UDP precedent from the former party chairman, Mr. Patrick Faber, under the leadership of Dean Barrow, that the NPC, according to him, CEC, everyone voted that due to the behavior of that member he was constructively resigned. So according to our party, there is precedent, according to the violations of the constitution and the NPC, they are no longer members of the party. That was not a Shyne Barrow decision, that was not a Mike Peyrefitte decision. We voted on that as a party and we move forward.”

LOO Says All Attempts at Mediation with Breakaway Faction Failed

Following Friday’s house meeting, Opposition Leader Shyne Barrow told reporters what other members of the U.D.P. executive had been saying previously, that all efforts were made to resolve the issue through mediation.

Shyne Barrow, Party Leader, U.D.P.

“It was our hope that we could mediate, as you’ve heard many of our executives, not me, this is the first time you’re talking to me in a few weeks and you’ve heard several members of the executive of the United Democratic Party tell you the truth, not the propaganda that they were spreading and explain to you that I have done, we have done everything to try to accommodate some type of mediation. So we had anticipated that by the constructive resignation which was the precedent in 2011, that that would jolt them into coming to their senses and we could return and focus on the People’s United Party. It really is a shame and an attack on our democracy when every time we speak, we need to speak about two members who can’t have their way and are causing this distraction and disruption until they get their way.”

PM Explains New Diesel Tax

Importers of diesel fuel and biodiesel will pay a standard tax for petroleum oil, following the passage of a new piece of legislation in the National Assembly. On Friday, the Briceño administration introduced and read through the bill in the House of Representatives. According to Prime Minister John Briceño, the reason for the tax being applied evenly is because there are no facilities in the country that can test regular diesel from biodiesel.

Prime Minister John Briceño

“The practical effect is that all diesels are going to be paying the same tax because somebody could be bringing in real diesel and seh da biodiesel and they have no way of knowing that. You would have to take that, I am told that it has to be sent to El Salvador to be able to test here. So, for practical reasons, it just means that all, any fuel that’s called diesel will pay the same tax. In this case, Puma that already has an established network and services that they provide to Belize.”

Daniel Cal Died from Inflammation in the Lungs

A Belmopan resident died after being held in police custody for four days. He is twenty-six-year-old Daniel Cal. A postmortem was conducted on his body today. The examination concluded that Cal died from widespread inflammation in the lungs and chronic alcoholism. His family alleges that he was abused at the hands of police officers while in custody at the Belmopan Police Station. There were clear signs of injuries on his body. On Friday, the Minister of Home Affairs, Kareem Musa said that Cal was suffering from seizures while in custody. But Cal’s family denies he had any history of seizures. News Five’s Paul Lopez reports.

Paul Lopez, Reporting

Twenty-six-year-old Belmopan Resident, Daniel Cal died at the Western Regional Hospital after being in police custody for four days. According to reports, he was detained on the evening of September sixth, allegedly being in possession of a stolen motorcycle. He was held inside a cell at the Belmopan Police Station. Four days later, on Tuesday September tenth, his family made a horrifying discovery.

Cynthia Chiac, Sister of Deceased

“When my mother and my sister met my brother he was already on the ground. His hands were all pale. His eyes were already in. The police, Sergeant Moody, told my mother that my brother was in the cell and that my sister and my mother should be the one to go get him and bathe him and then after that they still have the audacity to tell my mother, that they should wash the cellblock. None of the police officer wanted to go help them. So, everything, how they pick up him, my mother and sister were the one who bathe him. They actually went into the cell block and that is when they found my brother lying, just with boxers, had no clothes, nothing on.”

Cal’s family tried to see him on several occasions that weekend when they visited the station to take clothing and food for him. They were reportedly told to leave the items and that they would not be allowed to see him. Furthermore, Cal was to be arraigned at the Belmopan Magistrates Court on Monday the ninth of September. His mother was waiting outside the courtroom, but police never showed up with him. After the discovery in the cell, Cal was rushed to the Western Regional Hospital.

Cynthia Chiac

“When we reached at the hospital that is when we saw bruises on his cheeks, his two legs, his hands. Then the bed had some blood and we were wondering, which part blood was coming out and that is when the big stitch on his head was there. We went to leave some, because he would usually ask for Electrolit. So, when my sister went they would just get the stuff and said they would give my brother. On Tuesday night we did find out, we even see that he was suppose to go on Monday at court. He did not went.”

On Friday, Minister of Home Affairs, Kareem Musa told reporters that an investigation has been launched into the matter. He said that a review of surveillance footage reveals that there were no instances of police brutality while Cal was in custody. According to Minister Musa, Cal was suffering from bouts of seizures.

Kareem Musa, Minister of Home Affairs

“From the information that I am receiving, it was seizures that he was suffering from and so he was again taken back to the hospital on Wednesday and I believe he passed away on Thursday. Because it was a case of not in-custody death, but shortly after being in custody, we have asked the NFSS to expedite the post mortem. I have been assured that that will be done on Monday. It is extremely important for the family to have some resolution as to the cause of death because, of course, the family their speculation, they are skeptical about what might have happened and so that is absolutely essential. I have also reached out to the Ministry of Health personnel to contact the doctors at the hospital that treated Mr. Cal when he was taken there on Monday, and thereafter taken there again on Wednesday for them to indicate whether Mr. Cal, during his time there at the hospital, had indicated anything to the doctors because I believe that there is some sort of insinuation that police might have hit him. But from the accounts that the police have provided so far, it seems that the knock on his head was as a result of the seizure he suffered.”

Today, a postmortem was conducted on Cal’s body. That examination concluded that the cause of death was Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome or respiratory failure caused by widespread inflammation in the lungs. The examination further reveals that chronic alcoholism also contributed to his death. Cal’s family contends that he did not have a history of seizures.

Cynthia Chiac

“Like I said, we want justice for my brother. My brother died in there. Police killed my brother. He did not have any medical, no seizures, no nothing. My brother was healthy, everything. My mother even had lunch with him on Friday. He was good. He had no bruises, nothing. Like they were saying he had seizure. If they knew my brother had that. We were there on Monday, my brother and sister, they were there the whole day waiting for him to go to court. He did not go. Why didn’t they let my family know that he was suffering from something, you know to let the family know.”

Reporting for News Five, I am Paul Lopez.

Ubaldo Guzman’s Killer Charged for Manslaughter

On Thursday, sixty-one-year-old Ubaldo Guzman died after being viciously chopped with a machete by a drinking companion. The incident occurred in Guzman’s home in Santa Elena Town, while he was drinking with Peter August. Reports are that the two engaged in an altercation during which Guzman allegedly attacked August with a machete. August claims that he only retaliated in self-defense, resulting in Guzman’s death. On September fourteenth, police formally arrested and charged August with manslaughter. On Friday, we spoke with Guzman’s niece, Shamira Badillo, who told us that she never knew her uncle to be aggressive in nature.

Britney Gordon

“Do you know him to be sort of an aggressive person? Or when he drinks, is he known to do anything like this?”

Shamira Badillo, Niece of Deceased

“Well so far we not know him. I know sometimes, yes he used to tek his drinks but in an aggressive way? I never know about that.”

Britney Gordon

“So what are the next steps for the family as you guys grieve together? What are you hoping to come of this situation now?”

Shamira Badillo

“Well not sur. Right now we just waiting because his son just told me this morning that he always used to say the day he die he wants to be buried at San Fransisco Ranch. There my grandmother and grandfather is there too. So he she he will call cuz they are relative to us too. So he will call and ask permission.”

Britney Gordon

“As you guys process this together do you feel that you can depend and lean on each other to get through this difficult time.”

Shamira Badillo

“Yes it’s a united family. So I think all will go okay. He is resting but in a hard way.”

Policeman Charged for Handling 50K Worth of Stolen Jewelry

Earlier this month, Los Angeles firefighter, Gilbert Lightburn Junior, was remanded to prison until October thirtieth after an altercation at Shisha Nightclub resulted in him stabbing three people. Lightburn claimed that he was acting out of self-defense and that he had been robbed that night of his phone and other valuables. Acting upon information received on September ninth, police launched an investigation into forty-three-year-old police officer Hersel Garcia. Hersel was captured on surveillance footage attempting to pawn two fourteen-karat Miami Cuban link chains valued at thirty and twenty thousand dollars, as well as a seven thousand, five-hundred-dollar American Buffalo Indian Head Coin cased in fourteen-karat gold. Garcia was formally charged on September fourteenth with handling stolen goods.