Two dead in separate road knockdowns

Separate traffic accidents over the weekend have resulted in the death of two men. About five forty-five on Friday evening, fifty-two year old Clinton Banner was riding his bicycle between miles forty-eight and forty-nine on the Northern Highway when he was knocked down from behind by Carmelita resident Anthony Lanza. Banner suffered severe head and body injuries and was rushed to the Northern Regional Hospital but died while receiving medical treatment. Lanza has since been charged with Manslaughter by Negligence, Causing Death by Careless Conduct, Driving Without Due Care and Attention and Driving Without Third Party Insurance. Police investigations have revealed that Lanza is legally blind in one eye and it is believed that his lack of vision was a contributing factor in the accident.

In the second incident, an employee of Belize Electricity Limited has been charged following the death of a pedestrian. According to police, witnesses reported that around six-thirty on Saturday evening, Jose Choc was attempting to cross the Southern Highway to the San Marcos Village road when he was hit head on by B.E.L. driver Henry Archer. The victim sustained multiple head and body injuries and was pronounced dead on arrival. A post-mortem is scheduled to be performed on Choc’s body tomorrow to determine if he was under the influence of alcohol at the time of accident. Meanwhile, Archer has since been charged with Manslaughter by Negligence, Causing Death by Careless Conduct and Driving Without Due Care and Attention.