Minister’s Driver Charged in Hit-And-Run Fatality

Orlando Castillo

On Saturday night a man on a bicycle was hit by a speeding government vehicle and killed on the George Price Highway, between Miles fifty-one and fifty-two in Camalote. It was a hit and run, but preliminary investigations led Police to the home of Orlando Castillo, driver of Minister of National Security John Saldivar. Castillo was arrested and charged and this morning was formally arraigned in the Belmopan Magistrate’s Court. Officer Commanding Belmopan Superintendent Howell Gillett told us Police got the call just after seven Saturday night.

Howell Gillett

Via Phone: Supt. Howell Gillett, Officer Commanding, Belmopan

“Upon arrival we discovered the motionless body of an unknown Hispanic male person lying on the right hand side if you’re travelling from a West to East direction on the George Price Highway. Not too far away from him was a black and red beach cruiser bicycle that was severely damaged. Our investigation is showing that Orlando Castillo, a Belizean of a Belmopan address and a driver for the Ministry of National Security was driving in the same direction when the same male person may have veered from off the shoulder of the road to the highway and he could not have avoided hitting him from the rear. The person suffered multiple injuries and it appeared that he died on the spot. The vehicle in question is a Jetta Volkswagen car belonging to the Ministry of National Security. It had minor damages to the front portion of the vehicle. On that same night we arrested Mr. Castillo and he was charged on Sunday for Manslaughter by Negligence, Causing Death by Careless Conduct, Drove Motor Vehicle without Due Care and Attention, Failed to Stop and Render Aid, Failed to Report an Accident and Failed to Provide a Specimen, either blood or urine sample. He was taken to Court early this morning. He was detained the entire time. From the time he was arrested he was detained at the Belmopan Police Station.”

Castillo was offered bail in the sum of eight thousand dollars and is to reappear in Court on September seventh. Late this evening Belmopan Police were able to identify the victim as Vallan Paul Cucul, a caretaker from Punta Gorda Town.