Mother of Two Perishes in Christmas Day RTA

A.C.P. Joseph Myvett

A mother of two is dead after being struck by a vehicle on Christmas night, as she walked with her kids along the Patchakan/Xaibe Road in the Corozal District.  Cecilia Nah, who was reportedly under the influence of alcohol, was knocked down when a sports utility vehicle driven by twenty-six-year-old Ralph Ruiz swerved away in an attempt to avoid hitting her children.  The woman was ran over and gravely injured.  She passed away a short while later at the Corozal Community Hospital.

A.C.P. Joseph Myvett, Head, National Crimes Investigation Branch

“On the twenty-fifth of December, sometime around 7:30 p.m., Corozal police were called to an area on the Patchakan/Xaibe road where they observed a Nissan X-Trail with damages to its front portion and at the time, one Ralph Ruiz, twenty-six-years-old, reported to them that he was travelling from a north to south direction on the Patchakan Road when he observed a female along with two children in the middle of the road.  As he approached closer, the two persons, the two children ran into his lane and in an effort to avoid knocking them down he veered into the other lane, knocking down one Cecilia Nah.  As a result, she was transported to the Corozal Community Hospital and she succumbed to those injuries whilst receiving treatment.  The medical personnel also indicated to police that at the time she was highly under the influence of alcohol.  Police are conducting an investigation into this matter and Mr. Ruiz was detained pending this investigation and samples taken from him.  He has since been served with a notice of intended prosecution and released pending further investigation into this matter.”

Reporter

“Sir, are the police aware in whose care the children are now?”

A.C.P. Joseph Myvett

“At this point in time, no, I was not so briefed.  Obviously, they live in the same area, an area known as Can Lum which is between Patchakan and Xaibe village on the said road.”