3 die in weekend traffic accidents

One possible benefit of the rise in fuel prices is that if people drive less there may be fewer traffic fatalities. This weekend was a particularly bloody one with three people dying in separate accidents. On Friday night a bicyclist, Elmer Eck of Chan Chen village, was killed when he was knocked down on the Northern Highway. 35-year old Francisco Cansino told police that he was driving between miles 85 and 86 when Eck rode out from a feeder road and swerved into the path of his vehicle. Eck died after being admitted to Orange Walk Hospital.

On Sunday a 2-year old Belize City boy lost his life when he was knocked down by a hit and run driver. Christopher Fitzgibbon was playing with friends in front of his house on 8th Street in King’s Park when an unidentified vehicle apparently knocked him down. Christopher died after admission to the KHMH. Police continue to investigate the incident.

And finally, on Monday evening a 5-year old boy was killed and seven others injured in a devastating two-car collision near Benque Viejo. A Honda Civic driven by 25-year old Arlene Perez of San Ignacio collided with a van driven by Dwayne Joseph of Belize City. Perez and her son Troy were injured while her 5-year old son Elijah was pronounced dead at La Loma Luz Hospital. Those injured in the van were passengers Mary Wedling, Dana Usher, Courtney Luce, Mark Muldoon, Jay Folley and Christine Carducci.