3-Car Pileup Takes Miguel Ayala

Miguel Ayala

A fifty-eight-year-old father of eight from Valley of Peace perished on the George Price Highway this morning. Miguel Ayala, a handyman, was heading to Belize City this morning transporting meat; behind him was a second vehicle. Somewhere near mile forty-three, there was a collision with a BATSUB heavy lift vehicle heading in the opposite direction to Belmopan.  The three vehicles ended off the highway and into the bushes. The driver’s side of Ayala’s pickup truck was ripped apart and he died on the spot. News Five’s Duane Moody was at the scene of the accident and has the following report.

Duane Moody, Reporting

There was a traffic accident this morning on the George Price Highway that claimed the life of fifty-eight-year-old Miguel Ayala. Around ten-fifteen a.m., Ayala was driving a Ford F-150 pickup truck en route to Belize City to make a delivery, followed closely behind by a Mazada Four-by-Four pickup. But upon reaching between miles forty-two and forty-three on the highway, there was a collision with a four-tonner belonging to BATSUB, the British Army Training and Support Unit in Belize. The collision occurred on the left hand side of the highway when traveling to Belmopan and the impact sent all three vehicles into the bush. There were extensive damages to the driver’s side of both pickups; the F-150 driven by Ayala was totaled.

Chester Williams

Chester Williams, Deputy Commissioner of Police (Operations)

“This morning, sometime around ten-forty-five a.m. thereabout, police responded to an accident scene at mile thirty-two on the George Price Highway. There, the police saw three vehicles—two pickup trucks and a BATSUB vehicle—collided into each other. Apparently, two of the vehicles were traveling to the direction of Belize City and one was traveling in the direction of Belmopan when the collision occurred. And that collision resulted in the death of a male Hispanic person from the Valley of Peace area.”

Police arrived to the scene minutes later after which traffic was blocked on either end of the highway. The drivers of both the Mazda pickup and the military truck received minor injuries.

Chester Williams

“The other individuals were okay. As a matter of fact, when the ambulance arrived the other individuals wouldn’t even seek medical attention; they were walking around, they appeared to be okay. But they were still advised to visit the hospital just to go through the normal checkup to ensure that they are okay.”

About an hour after the incident, Ayala’s brother Pastor rushed to the scene having received word that his older sibling was involved in an accident; little did he know that Miguel was lying beside his vehicle dead. He says his brother left Belmopan around nine-thirty en route to Belize City to deliver meats for his boss.

Pastor Ayala

Pastor Ayala, Brother of Deceased

“My brother come from Belmopan and the army truck going that way. but I don’t know if the other truck was behind my brother or the three truck meet in the middle of the road because I see the vehicle from my brother drive, the left hand side chop off everything from his side. And I see the truck pass to that side. But the other vehicle I don’t know if it other truck was behind my brother or on the same lane and the truck stay in the middle. I am not sure. My brother was going to Belize City.”

Duane Moody

“What was he going to Belize City for sir?”

Pastor Ayala

“He work for his boss and carry pigs for the meat shop.”

Miguel worked with the Puga family for years and while they declined interview today, a relative says that he had been working with the family for almost three decades and would routinely make deliveries to the city. He was hardworking and dedicated to the job. Miguel was the father of eight children and was originally from Valley of Peace Village.

Pastor Ayala

“He’s a handyman for Mister Edgar Puga. Sometimes he works in Belmopan, sometimes Belize City…sometimes he goes to the farm.”

Duane Moody

“He’s your older brother?”

Pastor Ayala

“No we are two brothers. He is the oldest one.”

Deputy Commissioner of Police Chester Williams told the media earlier today that an investigation into this fatal RTA will continue.

Chester Williams

“Police will be looking into that matter to ascertain which of the drivers, if any, were at fault into the incident.”

Duane Moody for News Five.