Mother and daughter killed in head on collision…

And now we turn to a deadly traffic accident shortly after seven, the heavy rains this morning caused the death of two persons including a traffic officer. The incident occurred between miles nine and ten on the Western Highway where two vehicles coming from opposite directions slammed into each other. Two died and three others were critically injured. A bus belonging to the Shaw Bus Company was en route to Belize City from Hattieville. One passenger who rendered assistance to the victims was Philip Cattouse, who told us more.

Philip Cattouse, Assisted in Accident
“We were the first bus to get there and there was a police officer—two police officers—on the bus and they decided to get off the bus and see what was going on and people from on the bus got off and they start to assist the people on the bus. When we got there there was a boy and a girl in the back and we took them out and we put them on the roadside. A lady that was driving, she had dreads, she was crushed. You see it was all the way in her face and she was already passed already but her daughter, she was in shock. So she was pinned down in the vehicle; her left foot was broken and her right foot was alright. She was kinda in a state of shock due to the fact that she was telling me that her father had just passed last year and she was talking to her mom telling her mom please, please, please don’t leave because I only got you now mommy cause daddy done left because daddy done gone. The two passengers in the back of the vehicle was a boy and a girl. Everybody on the bus, couple guys, assisted and took them out and put them on the road side and tried to deal with two females that were in the front that were in the worst conditions because we saw a little bit of smoke that was coming from the vehicle. So we noh really know if fire or anything, but we just comfort the young lady from Nazarene cause her foot was broke and further until the police could get there and BERT and whoever could take them out.”

Sgt. Peter Serano, O.C., Hattieville Police
“At about seven-fifteen a.m., information was received of an R.T.A. between miles nine and ten one the Western Highway. As a result, police arrived on the scene at about seven-thirty a.m. and saw two vehicles extensively damaged to the front portion; a grey Dodge Ram license C-33855 was seen off the right side of the pavement of the highway heading towards Belmopan. And a red and grey Ford Explorer, License place C-14039 was seen in the middle of the highway with a female person trapped inside in the driver seat apparently dead. Initial information revealed that the Dodge Ram was heading from Belize City heading towards Belmopan and the Ford Explorer was heading to Belize City. Four students, all minors, were in the Explorer along with the driver, who all received injuries and were transported to the K.H.M.H. Shortly after arrival at the K.H.M.H., one of the minors succumbed to the injuries received.”

Duane Moody
“Did anyone in the dodge Ram get hurt?”

Sgt. Peter Serano
“Yes, the driver of the Dodge Ram also received injuries.”

The mother and daughter who perished were Carolyn Rowland and Twyler Jones. The three others injured in the accident are currently in serious and critical conditions in the K.H.M.H.