Northern Highway traffic accident claims three lives
Three persons traveling north died on the spot in Carmelita Village in the outskirts of Orange Walk Town this morning. The traffic mishap on the open highway is the worst this year resulting in the horrific death of the three, two of whom were decapitated. Thirty-three year old Atilio Ulloa of Simon Lamb Street who was behind the wheels of the Jeep Comanche was beheaded and twenty-one year old Cecilia Melgar died in a similar manner. The other passenger twenty-four year old Mark Anthony Pacheco of Cleghorn Street also died instantly. Between miles forty-eight and forty-nine, the vehicle’s front right tire sustained a blowout and crashed into the back of an International Nash truck. News Five Delahnie Bain headed to the scene of the accident and has this report.
Delahnie Bain, Reporting
Three Belize City residents lost their lives in a horrific way today. The three were reportedly traveling at high speed on the Northern Highway when tragedy struck between miles forty-eight and forty-nine. The green pick-up they were traveling in suffered a blow-out and swerved into the back of a parked heavy duty truck. Sharon Reynolds, who was on the roadside waiting for a bus, witnessed the incident as it unfolded.
Sharon Reynolds, Witness
“This green pick-up came passing by, it was coming at a very fast speed and as soon as he got in front of us by the bus stop, I heard a banging noise. I assumed that it was a tire that bursted. I could have foreseen what was going to happen so I shouted and I said “Lord just help this guy that he will be able to swerve out” but by the time I said that I just heard the impact.”
Officer Commanding the Orange Walk police formation, Superintendent Joseph Myvette, briefed the media on what they found on the scene.
Supt. Joseph Myvette, O.C., Orange Walk Police
“Upon examining the scene, three persons were seen trapped in the green pick-up, apparently motionless. Those were later found out to be two males and one female. There was a thirty-three year old male, a twenty-four year old male and a twenty year old female, all of Belize City address. The thirty-six year old male and the twenty year old female were both decapitated at the neck. Our investigation at this point in time into the matter continues. A number of personal items were recovered from the scene, including a Roger brand nine millimeter pistol loaded with nine live rounds of ammunition. Amongst the personal effects, several documents were found including, a Belize traveler’s permit and a Belizean passport. Other than that, there were social security cards that were recovered from the various persons.”
And while Reynolds’ prayers were not enough to prevent today’s casualties, she believes that if there were speed bumps in the area there would not have been the loss of lives.
Sharon Reynolds
“We have many accidents, people from the community, people from other places that have been killed on this same stretch between of mile forty-eight and forty-nine and I’m saying today that if we had a bump out there by the bus stop today, I’m sure these guys wouldn’t have died. He would have had to slow down and he wouldn’t have had to run up into the truck.”
Delahnie Bain for News Five.
According to Myvette, today’s was the first fatal traffic accident in Orange Walk since the beginning of the year.
