Separate Hit & Run Accidents Claim Two Lives
Dennis Arnold
Two persons also lost their lives over the weekend in separate hit and run accidents, one up north in Orange Walk and the other in the Stann Creek District. Just before seven this morning, the body of nineteen year old Cowpen Villager, Christian Villalobos, was found on the right hand side of the Phillip Goldson Highway with a large cut wound to the head. Investigations have since revealed that Villalobos was walking towards Corozal when he was hit him from behind by a car. The impact from the hit sent Villalobos’ body to the pavement causing his immediate demise. The driver of the vehicle did not stop to render any assistance nor has anyone come forward to report the incident. News Five spoke today with Officer Commanding the Orange Walk Police Formation, Superintendent Dennis Arnold. Interestingly, Arnold says that Villalobos was detained over the weekend for shoplifting and was released from custody on Saturday.
Via Phone: Supt. Dennis Arnold, O.C., Orange Walk Police Formation
“At about six-forty-five a.m., police were called out to mile sixty-one on the Phillip Goldson Highway. Upon arriving at that location, we saw a male Hispanic person in his teens lying face up apparently dead. Upon closer inspection, we noticed that he had a cut to the middle of his forehead or to the center of his forehead about two inches in length, apparently dead. The scene was processed, he was transported to Northern Regional Hospital where he was pronounced dead on arrival and a postmortem awaits.”
Duane Moody
“Sir have you all been able to identify who the person is?”
Via Phone: Supt. Dennis Arnold
“Yes we have just informed his relatives. His name is Christian Javier Villalobos, nineteen years of Cowpen Village, Stann Creek Village. I am appealing to members of the public if they know anything or see anything, they can come to the Orange Walk Police Station and tell the police whatever they know, whatever they saw.”
Duane Moody
“Any information as to what he was doing in Orange Walk?”
Via Phone: Supt. Dennis Arnold
“Mister Villalobos, I can recall was in custody sometime over the weekend and he was released for shoplifting. But the complainant didn’t come to make a report so he was released.”
Duane Moody
“He was released yesterday?”
Via Phone: Supt. Dennis Arnold
“I think that was Saturday that he was released.”
As we said, there was also another fatality in southern Belize. On Sunday morning, around four o’clock, Independence Police visited the village of Santa Cruz. At an area near mile twenty-three on the Southern Highway, the officers discovered the body of thirty-eight year old Oswaldo Portillo, a Guatemalan farmer of the village. The body was found lying face up on the right side of the road with injuries to the face, abdomen and left arm. Portillo was the victim of a hit and run and police are asking for assistance from the public in identifying who knocked down the pedestrian.
