Fatal traffic accident but victim’s family still waiting for justice

The question of who is liable for the August twenty-third 2008 fatal traffic accident that took the life of Belmopan Security Guard, Delroy Gentle remains unanswered. Two men were originally charged, but only one proceeded to trial and he was acquitted late this afternoon. A jury of nine persons emerged from the deliberating room and freed Michael Gillett of the charge of Causing Death by Careless Conduct. The traffic fatality happened between Miles forty two and forty-three on the Western Highway. Gillett was traveling behind a National Transport bus heading towards Belmopan when the bus, driven by Sandro Salazar, made a sudden stop. Another vehicle was coming from the opposite direction. Gillett tried to stop but could not and ran into the vehicle that Gentle was driving. Gentle died on the spot from the impact. In the trial, Gillett was represented by Attorney Kevin Arthur while the crown was represented by the DPP herself Cheryl Lynn Branker-Tait Vidal. The defense argued that the wrong person was on trial and that the person responsible for causing Gentle’s death was Salazar, the driver of the national Transport bus. Salazar initially faced with a slew of charges but those were withdrawn by the DPP’s office on May twenty-sixth, 2009 when Salazar turned witness for the crown. In the end the jury found that Gillett was not responsible for Gentle’s death. Gentle was heading home to Belmopan at the time of his untimely death.