Hit and run accident claims life of 6yr old

A six year old boy is dead after he was knocked down on Saturday evening in Belize City. But what makes the situation sadder is that the driver did not stop to render aid to the gravely injured child. Instead, he fled the scene leaving behind the dying child, his badly tattered bicycle, and the vehicle he was driving. Marion Ali has more in the following report.

Marion Ali Reporting
This is the green Toyota Highlander which police believe was involved in the fatal hit and run incident that claimed the life of six year old Jose Garcia Junior. While its front end has tell-tale signs of an impact, its driver was nowhere in sight following the collision and police are now looking for that person.

Clement Palacio, Police Press Officer
“Police received information of a vehicle that was parked at Ayuso’s Garage on Amara Avenue.”

Marion Ali
“So the driver abandoned the vehicle there?”

Clement Palacio
“The driver abandoned the vehicle, police are looking for that driver known as AKA “Gante” and they’re asking the public to assist in the apprehension of this person.”

Marion Ali
“What’s his real name?”

Clement Palacio
“His name is Steven Palacio. Of course I must add that he’s only a suspect at this point and police want him for questioning. The vehicle was owned by, I’m told, a car dealer and what happened was that the person knew who he loaned the vehicle to.”

And while police search for their suspect, Fareed Ahmad who was standing in front of his barbershop on Amara Avenue said he witnessed the incident. He says while it was little Jose who did not adhere to the stop sign, the speed of the vehicle also played a major role.

Fareed Ahmad, witnessed hit & run
“A little boy was crossing his bike across here and a guy from outta the blue just sped past and knocked down the little boy. The boy got knocked down from here to way across the street over there by the drain.”

Jose Garcia Senior, father of deceased
“Three ah deh mi di ride, two done cross and he left pan di side and di vehicle just come from nowhere and just knock ah down.”

Fareed Ahmad
“That guy was driving no less than sixty-five miles an hour that evening, no less than that. Aside from the vehicle dragging the bicycle from way down here to up there, they found a wheel way in front by way under a bus by Grace Primary School—the wheel for the bicycle. The seat was another aside.”

Jose’s father, Jose Garcia Senior, a vendor at the Queen Square Market, told News Five that his son was returning to the market after visiting his mother on West Street. According to Jose Senior, it was a routine ride the child had made countless times before. Fareed Ahmad says that if there were more speeding deterrents on Amara Street, he believes little Jose would still be alive today.

Fareed Ahmad
“Kids are up and around here all day all the time anyway. It’s a residential area aside from a business area and a lot of kids are around here and they need to put speed bumps to stop these people from speeding and speeding through this street. The speed these drivers drive around here is just ridiculous. There are three schools on this street and I don’t understand how up to now we only have one speed bump in front of Grace Primary. The driver didn’t stop to render no assistance, the driver just took off.”

While the driver fled immediate arrest, the man who could not run from facing the harsh reality is single father, Jose Senior, left now with only two children to call his own.

Jose Garcia
“Deh kill my lee bwai, my only junior, it hurt me. I just want justice serve correct.”

Reporting for News Five, Marion Ali.