Accident kills teen, splits car in half
Traffic accidents are among the top three causes of death in Belize. And that startling statistic was bolstered again this weekend as a dramatic crash on the Western Highway claimed the life a teenaged boy. News Five’s Marion Ali has that story.
Marion Ali
“Police say twenty-seven year old Andre Torres was travelling from Belize City to Hattieville at around eleven o’clock on Saturday night when as he reached this curve between miles five and six he lost control of his white Mitsubishi Galant, ran off the road, overturned and crashed into a lamp post, splitting the vehicle in two.”
In Torres’ vehicle were brothers seventeen year old Emilio Santiago and fifteen year old Kyroy, and sixteen year-old Cherrese Lino. Emilio who was beside Lino in the back seat, was flung from the car and is believed to have died at the scene. Lino suffered two broken arms and is currently in stable condition in the K.H.M.H. The front seat passenger Kyroy Santiago sustained minor injuries to his right hand while Torres walked away unscathed.
Head of Eastern Division, Assistant Commissioner of Police, Allen Whylie, told News Five this afternoon that police have charged Torres with a series of offences, including Driving Under the Influence of Alcohol.
A.C.P Allen Whylie, O.C. Eastern Division
“Mr. Torres has been arrested has been arrested and charged on five counts: Manslaughter by Negligence, Driving without Due Car and Attention, Negligent Grievous Harm, Drove Motor Vehicle with Alcohol Concentration Above the Prescribed Limit and also Causing Death by Careless Conduct.
Marion Ali
“The child’s father told me a while ago that he does not know what his son was doing between miles five and six at eleven o’clock that night. Do you have any idea where they were going, what they were doing?”
A.C.P Allen Whylie
“No. All I know they were heading towards the Hattievile direction; that matter is still being investigated.”
“The fact that he lost control and the vehicle overturned, the damage that it sustained as well as the fact that the lamp post was broken in two would indicate that he was driving excessively above the speed limit.”
The accident has left the father of the two Santiago brothers, Ramon Santiago, with many questions as he says he does not know what his boys were doing on the highway at that hour of the night.
Ramon Santiago, Father of Deceased
“I asked for them to go at Holy Redeemer and be had home by eleven o’clock.”
Marion Ali
“What was happening at Holy Redeemer?”
Ramon Santiago
“They had a bazaar and the boys had to go. And the friend of mines, good friend with the babies them, they go dah the house, spend weeks and the people deh really treat the baby them good. The boy tek the boys them like brothers.”
Marion Ali
“Who is this friend?”
Ramon Santiago
“The driver of the vehicle and I trusted him with the boys. And like I said accidents happen and unfortunately he didn’t make it but the only point I noh clear with is what were they doing on the western road. Where were they going at that hour? That’s the hour they should have been home.”
Santiago said his surviving son has not yet offered any explanation as to what happened that night and is still in shock. But the grieving father says he holds no malice against Torres, who for some time was his next door neighbour on Sittee Street.
Ramon Santiago
“In my heart I noh feel no like I should ah put…well he has to take his blame but personally I have nothing against him.”
Marion Ali
“You don’t hold him accountable for having your two young sons on the highway at that hour?”
Ramon Santiago
“Yes I do because I have distinct it that bring them eleven o’clock. So that’s the only thing I dah seh it shouldn’t have gone that way. But like accident, the devil works so maybe they neva even had intention fi be out there, it just happened.”
Torres was taken to court today and was offered five thousand dollars bail, which he met. He is to reappear on December thirty-first.
Reporting for News Five, Marion Ali.
