Bowen and Bowen Limited Truck Runs over Man in Belize City
Fidel Guardado
One man is dead following a traffic accident in Belize City. Reports are that, sometime around five p.m. on Monday, sixty-seven-year-old Fidel Guardado fell from his bicycle on Vernon Street when a Bowen and Bowen Limited bus collided into him. As a result, the bus ran over Guardado causing his fatal injuries. Information to News Five is that Guardado, a security guard, was on his way to work when the incident occurred. Guardado’s death has left residents in the area calling for pedestrian ramps in the area and more care and attention from drivers. News Five’s Paul Lopez visited the scene this morning. He filed the following report.
Paul Lopez, Reporting
Sixty-seven-year-old Fidel Guardado was on his way to work from his home on Glenn Street in Belize City when he lost his life. According to Police, Guardado was on Vernon Street when a Bowen and Bowen Bus, driven by forty-three-year-old Loren Lopez, collided into him. Guardado fell to the pavement and the bus ran him over. Cruz Guardado, a son of the deceased, spoke with us off camera.
Voice of: Cruz Guardado
Voice of: Cruz Guardado, Daughter of Deceased
“My father lived in San Jose Orange Walk for a long time. He came from Salvador and worked here in Belize for security. Yesterday we deh dah village when somebody called me and said he get knocked down and then we come today.”
Near the scene of the accident Joseph Gardner, a resident of Vernon Street also spoke with us off camera. He told us what he saw.
Voice of: Joseph Gardner
Voice of: Joseph Gardner, Vernon Street Resident
“It was sad day because before that I was sitting here with a couple friends having some beers and talking and then all of a sudden I saw the traffic the backup and then I went out to see what happened. So, when I went down there I saw the guy lay down on the ground with his skull crashed and his tongue out of his head. And I came right back and I didn’t want to stay there, people taking pictures.”
On Monday night, Bowen and Bowen issued a statement confirming that it was in fact one of their company buses that was involved in the incident. The company noted in the statement that they are cooperating with the investigation and will assist in any way possible to help in determining what transpired.
Voice of: Cruz Guardado
“Bad, because we think my pa deh dah work and when we get the call dah because my pah get knocked down. I only heard he got knock down by the bus, Bowen and Bowen and we went today and they said the investigation will happen. So, we the wait.”
Voice of: Joseph Gardner
“This is a very small street and a kid could just run out and boom. So, you got to take it easy. You got to slow down. I think they need some sleeping policeman across the street to slow things down until they reach the bridge. Between four and five in the evening a lot of vehicles pass through here. The traffic gets heavy cause this is the outlet and Cemetery Road is the inlet. It is a very busy street you know.”
Cruz Guardado says her family will wait for the police’s investigation to conclude in order to determine their next course of action. In the immediate, Cruz says her family needs financial assistance for funeral cost.
Voice of: Cruz Guardado
“We just want mek deh, the owner for the bus help we you know and things cause we poor and nuh have nothing. We need help only that, we only want help.”
Reporting for News Five, I am Paul Lopez.
