Fatally knocked down as she walked to church

An elderly woman crosses a dimly lit major highway on a dark night. An oncoming vehicle sees her but it’s too late. Moving metal meets frail flesh. You know the rest. It’s a tragic event that happens more often than we’d like. News 5’s Jacqueline Woods reports on how it played out last night on the Northern Highway.

Sandra Lopez, Daughter of Deceased
?She was happy. She told me she was happy that she had let go all cares and worries and she was not worried about anything. She was so happy and she said that when I am ready to die, I will come to you. Don?t worry about that because I will be here, when I am ready to die I will be here for you and she was sitting around the table and she was eating and it was getting late and my daughter asked her to stay. So I was happy and I went to church.?

Sandra Lopez would not see her mother alive again. Sometime after the conversation on late Wednesday evening, seventy-two year old Francisca Vera decided to join her daughter at the Divine Mercy Church. Vera never made it to the services. The elderly woman was knocked down as she crossed the Northern Highway between miles three and four.

Sandra Lopez
?I had left her because we made arrangements that after church, I was going to invite two of my friends and we were going to sit around the table and all of us would have dinner together but apparently she changed her clothes and she went to church.?

?I was in church when somebody came and told me that my mother was knocked down and when I went as I saw the clothes I knew that it was her because that is one of her church clothes, you know, she was coming to church.?

Vera was struck by the left hand side of this Isuzu Rodeo driven at the time by Myrna Willoughby, coordinator of the Belize Family Court. The accident caused serious head and body injuries and Vera died on the spot.

Sandra Lopez
?I thank God that I had her in the evening for those moments and the blessings she gave me and the things she did and said you know. It really touched my heart and I am happy that she told me those things because she gave me advice, she gave me blessings which is very important for me.?

?My mother was a very kind person, very loving and very outgoing. You know she did not stay one place. I would say she likes to be around people. She was a people person, not a person who liked to stay by herself.?

The tragic accident has once again raised concerns about the need to improve conditions on the Northern Highway that would make it a safer for both pedestrian and vehicle traffic. According to Willoughby, the area was dimly lit and she was unable to avoid hitting Vera. Lopez says her mother was wearing dark clothing at the time and believes the incident was an unfortunate accident. Today she hopes the proper authorities will do something to prevent further road traffic accidents.

Sandra Lopez
?Accidents do happen and I realize the highway here is very dangerous and it really needs a bumper for the people to cross because it?s not the first time that it has happened. People have gotten hurt and one of my church sisters almost got knocked down herself the other day. So I would like to bring the attention very much that something be done about the highway. It?s very necessary. I know my mother has lost her life and I do not want anybody else to go like that because it is something very hard.?

This morning Willoughby and Lopez met for the first time since last night?s tragedy. It was emotional even as both women consoled each other.

Sandra Lopez
?I know that accidents happen and I don?t feel any hard feeling. I ask God to give her the strength and I ask God to give me the strength to cope with the situation and I could understand the person?s feeling because accidents do happen. I can understand the person?s feeling too that she is going through pain herself. I don?t have any hard feelings.?

Willoughby who was overcome with emotion was unable to speak on camera but expressed her true sadness over the death of Francisca Vera. Jacqueline Woods for News 5.

Police say they are continuing their investigation into the accident. No charges have yet been brought against Willoughby.