Belize City Man Plunges Into River and Dies

There was loss of life due to an accident over the extended weekend. A fifty-three-year-old Belize City resident died after the Ford Ranger pickup truck he was driving plunged into the Rio Hondo River. On Saturday night, at around eleven-thirty, security guard Francisco Paquiul was driving from Orange Walk town to San Antonio Village when he lost control of his pickup and ended in the river. San Antonio residents say they heard a loud bang and ran out to the scene to find the vehicle submerging. Paquiul, who was trapped inside and villagers worked to remove from the vehicle. ASP Alejandro Cowo shared more details today.

Alejandro Cowo

ASP Alejandro Cowo, O.C., C.I.B., Belize City

“Villagers inform the police that they heard a loud bang and when they came out to inquire what was happening, they saw a vehicle submerging into the river. Police and civilians in the village went into the river and were able to take out a person that was inside of the river. By the time the man was pulled he had already died. That male person was later identified as Francisco Paquiul of a Belize City address. He was driving from orange Walk towards the village when he apparently lost control of the vehicle, knocked the railing and went into the river.”