2024-12-08 - Channel 5 Belize

Relative of Driver Ruduel Parham Speaks Out

A relative of Ruduel Parham, the driver of the Toyota Corolla involved in the deadly crash on the George Price Highway, has shared details about his final moments and the devastating impact on the family. According to the relative, Parham left early in the morning to travel to Melchor de Mencos, Guatemala, in search of a vehicle part. Accompanying him on the trip was his sister-in-law, identified as Aimie Hernandez.

“We got the sad call that my nephew may be in the vehicle — that it had blown up and he was dead along with the rest that had passed away,” the relative recounted. “It hurts a lot because it’s my nephew that passed away.”

Clarifying reports circulating online, the relative stressed that Parham was not a taxi driver. “He wasn’t a taxi man. I don’t know where people got that information. It wasn’t a taxi — it was a private vehicle, and he was the driver,” the family member said.

The family is still grappling with unanswered questions about how so many people ended up in the vehicle, which was only supposed to be carrying Parham and his sister-in-law. “As far as we know, it was just the two of them that went to Melchor, not the others who also passed away,” the relative explained.

Describing the emotional toll on the family, the relative said, “As you can see, it’s nothing easy. It’s very hard. We didn’t expect to lose another family member in this tragic kind of way, but such is life.”

The crash involved a Toyota Corolla, a Ford Expedition, and a motorcycle. The Toyota Corolla, carrying nine passengers, collided with the motorcycle, causing a fiery explosion that killed everyone in the car and the motorcyclist. The victims have been identified as Ruduel Parham (driver), Shailer Lopez, Abigail Bradley, Keilin Pinelo, Jaheim Inglesias, Aimie Hernandez, Dennis Williams, Jasmine Rodriguez, and Jazelle Rodriguez. Two passengers in the SUV were critically injured, while the other two sustained minor injuries.

Relative Recounts Receiving Heartbreaking News of Fatal Crash

Shamela Pinelo, a relative of accident victims Keilin Pinelo and Abigail Bradley, shared the devastating experience of learning about their deaths. According to Pinelo, she first became concerned after receiving a call from her young niece, who was worried that her sister, who had gone to Melchor to shop, might have been involved in the accident. Efforts to contact Abigail were unsuccessful, and repeated calls went unanswered.

“I called her brother and I asked him if she was at home. He said he will go and check and when he checked, she wasn’t there.

Her fears grew when she finally got through to Abigail’s phone, only for a police officer to answer and advise her to come to the crash site. Pinelo says that at that moment, she already knew what awaited her. “If they were at the hospital, the police would have said to go to the hospital. I knew what I was coming to see.”

Upon arriving at the scene, Pinelo witnessed bodies on the highway.

Other families soon arrived, each met with the heart-wrenching task of identifying their loved ones. She described how interconnected the victims were, explaining that some were in-laws or relatives of her close family members.

Later that night, another family contacted her, searching for a missing brother who had been travelling with Pinelo’s niece and cousin. Pinelo accompanied the woman to the hospital and police station, where they too received the tragic news.

“It’s very heartbreaking,” Pinelo added.

Mayor Trapp Mourns Crash Victims, Calls for Stricter Traffic Laws

Mayor Earl Trapp, on behalf of the San Ignacio and Santa Elena Town Council, has extended his heartfelt condolences to the families of the ten people who tragically lost their lives in a devastating road traffic accident on the George Price Highway.

Describing the incident as “the worst I have ever seen here in Belize,” Mayor Trapp expressed the profound grief felt by the community. “This municipality mourns the death of these 10 people. We are very much hurt and very much sorry that this happened,” he said.

The tragedy, which claimed the lives of nine passengers in a Toyota Corolla and one motorcyclist, has left a lasting impact on the twin towns of San Ignacio and Santa Elena.

Mayor Trapp says there is the urgent need for stronger enforcement of traffic laws. He called on local authorities and the government to take a more proactive stance on road safety. The mayor argued that while enforcing the law may upset some individuals, the ultimate goal is to save lives. “I think it’s high time that we, as leaders, begin to take these things very seriously and implement the laws because by implementing the laws, one or two people will get mad at you, but you know what? In the end we end up saving lives.”

Trapp says there is the need for more effective and consistent checkpoints, particularly those equipped with breathalysers.

More Victims Identified, Including Mother and Toddler

A mother, 30-year-old Jasmine Rodriguez, and her daughter, Jazelle Rodriguez, have been identified as the 7th and 8th victims of the road traffic accident that killed ten persons. 21-year-old Dennis Williams was also identified as one of the passengers in the Toyota Corolla that was involved in the horrific accident.

Police Commissioner Chester Williams told the nation via a Facebook post, “The accident involved a Ford Expedition SUV that was travelling from the direction of Benque Viejo Town from San Ignacio, carrying 4 passengers, a Toyota Corolla taxi car traveling from Benque to San Ignacio carrying 9 passengers and a motorcycle traveling in the same direction with only its rider. Of the four passengers in the Expedition, two are critical and are admitted to the hospital and the other two received minor injuries. All 9 passengers in the taxi and the motorcycle rider are deceased.”

Reports indicate the Toyota Corolla, driven by Ruduel Parham (deceased), collided with a motorcycle. This caused a fiery explosion that claimed the lives of all nine people inside the car as well as the motorcyclist. The other victims have been identified as 31-year-old Shailer Lopez, 29-year-old Abigail Bradley, 24-year-old Keilin Pinelo, 19-year-old Jaheim Inglesias, and Aimie Hernandez.

The crash also involved a Ford Expedition SUV traveling west toward Benque Viejo Town. The SUV had four occupants. Two remain hospitalised with critical injuries, while the other two sustained minor injuries.

Condolences Pour in as 6th Victim Identified

The country remains in shock following a horrific vehicular crash that left ten people dead. A devastating collision occurred near mile 68 on the George Price Highway and involved nine passengers in a Toyota Corolla and a motorcyclist.

The tragedy has sparked national grief and raised questions about how nine people managed to fit inside a five-seater vehicle.

Police Commissioner Chester Williams told the nation via a Facebook post, “The accident involved a Ford Expedition SUV that was travellings from in the direction of Benque Viejo Town from San Ignacio, carrying 4 passengers, a Toyota Corolla taxi car traveling from Benque to San Ignacio carrying 9 passengers and a motorcycle traveling in the same direction with only its rider. Of the four passengers in the Expedition, two are critical and are admitted to the hospital and the other two received minor injuries. All 9 passengers in the taxi and the motorcycle rider are deceased.”

Police Commissioner Chester Williams called the crash a “sad and tragic incident” and urged drivers to exercise caution on the highways. He assured the public that police are investigating the cause of the collision and will provide updates as more information becomes available.

5 of 10 Victims Identified

A deadly crash at mile 68 on the George Price Highway has claimed the lives of 10 people: nine passengers in a Toyota Corolla and a motorcyclist.

The Toyota Corolla, driven by Ruduel Parham (deceased), was eastbound toward San Ignacio just before 10:00 p.m. on Sunday night. The vehicle was carrying nine people at the time of the crash. Reports indicate that the Corolla collided with a motorcycle, causing a fiery explosion that killed all nine occupants of the car, as well as the motorcycle rider.

The other victims have been identified as 31-year-old Shailer Lopez, 29-year-old Abigail Bradley, 24-year-old Keilin Pinelo, 19-year-old Jaheim Inglesias, and Aimie Hernandez.

The names of the other victims are yet to be confirmed.

The crash also involved a Ford Expedition SUV that was heading in the opposite direction toward Benque Viejo Town. The SUV was carrying four passengers. Two of them remain hospitalized with critical injuries, while the other two sustained minor injuries.

Police Commissioner Chester Williams described the crash as a “sad and tragic incident” and stressed the need for drivers to exercise caution on the highways. He assured the public that police are working to determine the cause of the collision and will provide updates as more details become available.

The Commissioner urged the nation to keep the affected families in their prayers as the investigation continues.

Ten Dead, Several Injured in Tragic Collision

Police Commissioner Chester Williams has confirmed that San Ignacio police have concluded a preliminary investigation into a deadly multi-vehicle crash at mile 68 on the George Price Highway. The tragic accident involved a Ford Expedition SUV, a Toyota Corolla, and a motorcycle.

According to Commissioner Williams, the Ford Expedition was travelling from San Ignacio toward Benque Viejo Town with four passengers on board. The Toyota Corolla, carrying nine passengers, was headed in the opposite direction, while the motorcycle was travelling in the same direction as the Toyota Corolla with only its rider.

The collision resulted in the deaths of all nine passengers in the Toyota Corolla, as well as the motorcyclist. Of the four occupants in the Ford Expedition, two sustained critical injuries and were admitted to the hospital, while the other two received only minor injuries.

Commissioner Williams stated that the identities of the deceased are still being verified, and authorities are working to determine the exact cause of the accident.

Three of the ten victims have been identified as Shailer Lopez, Ashley Bradley, and Kaitlyn Ріnеlо.

“This is truly a sad and tragic incident, that underscores the fact that as drivers we must exercise due care when using the highways,” Williams said, calling on the public to keep the affected families in their prayers.

He assured the public that updates would be provided as more information becomes available.