Police Can’t Confirm If Speeding Was Involved in Fatal Accident
As we reported, five persons are left wounded as a result of Saturday night’s traffic accident. The incident claimed the life of contractor, Sherwin Garbutt and three of his workmen, as they headed back from Dangriga to Roaring Creek where they all lived. Today, A.C.P Hilberto Romero shared the official information on the incident. But the portion of road where the accident happened near mile twenty-eight on the Hummingbird Highway is one where several mishaps have occurred before, particularly in the last weeks. This latest incident happened not far away from the research site for the Toucan Ridge Ecology and Education Society. Its Director, Vanessa Kilburn shared the concern that she has for the portion of road that passes near the research centre.
Hilberto Romero
A.C.P Hilberto Romero, Regional Commander, Eastern Division
“On Saturday, the 25th day of November 2023. Police responded to a fatal road accident at mile 28 on the Hummingbird Highway. Upon the arrival, they saw a Chevy Silverado pickup truck overturn and several persons with various degrees of injury. Investigation is that the driver of the pickup at the time was Sherwin Garbutt and he was heading to Belmopan when he lost control of the vehicle, flipped several times and several persons were injured and, four persons received fatal injuries. They are Sherwin Garbutt, Timothy Neal, Delwyn Armstrong, and Edwin Brown. The rest of the occupants of the vehicle, there were nine total receiving treatment.”
Reporter
“It’s safe to assume that some of those people were in the pan of the truck?
A.C.P Hilberto Romero
“Yes, that is the information we have there in the pan of the pickup truck.”
Reporter
“When trucks like these pass checkpoints, are they stopped and something happens?”
A.C.P Hilberto Romero
“Yes, that is an offense when they pass any checkpoint, they are given a ticket, or they can be taken to court for that offense. The investigation is ongoing and we are trying to establish exactly where they were coming from. All information we have is that he lost control of the vehicle.”
On the phone: Vanessa Kilburn
On the phone: Vanessa Kilburn, Director, (TREES)
“Basically in one-month period, we’ve had 3 fatal or near fatal accidents right here on this one half a mile stretch of highway, which is right off of our property. I literally was standing in front of my house and I watched a car flip over five times in front of me down the highway and fly the two people out of the car and we ran out and provided first aid and call the ambulance who came. I don’t know if those people died or not. We literally have people dying here every single weekend on that one curve. And I would love to find out if there’s anything we could do to get a speed bump or something put in, because it’s ridiculous.”
