Northern Highway collision leaves one gravely injured

A woman is fighting for her life following a traffic accident at mile seven on the Northern Highway at midday. Two vehicles were involved in the mishap, a Chevy pick-up being driven by twenty-two year old Erroll Garbutt and a Toyota Corolla driven by sixty-three year old Hydee Gutierrez. Garbutt escaped with minor abrasions but Gutierrez, a seamstress by profession, fell unconscious before arriving at the Belize Medical Associates. News Five’s Jose Sanchez spoke to the investigating officer at the scene as well as the driver of the Chevy Pick up.

Sergeant Raymond Berry, Traffic Branch, Belize City
“Little about midday the Chevy pick- up was travelling to Belize City from Ladyville and there was this Toyota Corolla car that was parked on the shoulder of the road. Apparently it was going to make a left turn into the entrance. There was a first vehicle ahead of this pick-up pausing . The first pick up had made its pass and when this first pick up paused, the car attempted drive over to go into the entrance. That was when this second pick up came up and that’s when the collision happened.”

Jose Sanchez
“Can you say at this point who was at fault? Was it driver error?”

Sgt. Raymond Berry
“No, at this moment we’re still doing an investigation. This is only an initial investigation that we’ve picked up so far so I won’t be able to tell you whose at fault right now.”

Erroll Garbutt, Survived Accident
“Well, dis Corolla just pulled in front of me and I had no time to do nothing. Before impact I couldn’t, I neva even brakes weh ih pull so close. Ih pull between me and wah next vehicle weh I mi deh behind. I just hope di lady alright because I no think ih mi see my truck.”

Jose Sanchez
“You were both going in the same direction?”

Erroll Garbutt
“She actually mi stop pan di shoulder, she no mi di move. And as I mi di come onto her bumper, she pull inna di road di try come inna dis driveway. I couldn’t’ do nothing; di truck stop inna ih side. I just hope di lady alright though. Bout twenty feet I mi deh behind dah vehicle. Di other vehicle gone and she pull directly behind di other vehicle. I couldn’t do nothing to avoid the impact.”

Jose Sanchez
“Are you ok? Do you have injuries?”

Erroll Garbutt
“I got one bust on my finger but I alright.”

Jose Sanchez
“Your cousin was in the vehicle with you. What about him?”

Erroll Garbutt
“Well, he alright, just minor stuff, slightas. I guess da di truck save we. I guess if we mi deh inna small we mi wah get badly hurt too.”

Jose Sanchez
“You had on a seatbelt?”

Erroll Garbutt
“Yes. We travel safe.”

Gutierrez had received serious head trauma, five fractured ribs, a collapsed lung, a broken left wrist and a broken ankle. The result of a catscan reveals that she also has a swelling on the brain and at news time she was being taken to surgery.