Accident in Placencia kills 3
Andrew Faber
Three persons died in a horrible traffic accident in the south just after noon today. Belize City Councilor Andrew Faber, the younger brother of Education Minister Patrick Faber, as well as two female passengers who were traveling with him inside his Mitsubishi pickup truck, perished in a traffic mishap along the Placencia Road. Around twelve-thirty p.m. the trio; twenty-nine year old Faber, twenty-three year old Gianni Taylor and twenty-six year old Virginia Ozeata, was heading towards the Southern Highway en route to Belize City when upon reaching between miles four and five Faber lost control of the vehicle.
Gianni Taylor
It skidded and careened off the road before overturning in a nearby ditch where it is presumed that they drowned after being trapped inside the upturned pickup. It wasn’t until twenty minutes later that another motorist came across the accident but by then it was already too late. Faber, who was scheduled to depart the country in October to pursue further studies abroad, was returning from an overnight trip to the peninsula with Taylor, who was four months pregnant, and Ozeata, who was visiting from the United States, when the incident took place. Responding to the scene of the accident was Placencia Village Council Chairman, Charles Leslie Jr.
Charles Leslie Jr., Chairperson, Placencia Village Council
“I received information from the PPD, the Placencia Police Department that there was an accident on the road just above the shrimp farm coming into Placencia. It would be around, between mile two and three and I personally visited the site. Upon visiting the site [they had] already moved the bodies. There were definitely three fatalities and the automobile, obviously it seemed to have flipped over into the water on the side of the road and I can’t say what caused the fatality but I’m assuming that they were trapped in the vehicle and they either drowned or suffered other bodily injuries that caused their deaths.”
Isani Cayetano
“Can you describe to us what kind of vehicle they were traveling in?”
Charles Leslie Jr.
Charles Leslie Jr.
“It was a Mitsubishi Montero, four-door, manual transmission vehicle.”
Isani Cayetano
“And what were the extent of the damages to the vehicle?”
Charles Leslie Jr.
“To be honest the vehicle didn’t suffer extensive damage. It only had damage to the left driver’s side of the vehicle. It suffered a cave-in on the roof obviously from the flipping of the vehicle on the road. But other than that it didn’t suffer any other major damages to the automobile.”
Isani Cayetano
“What are the weather conditions down in Placencia at the moment? I know here in Belize City it’s been raining for the past two days. What has the weather been like down there?”
Charles Leslie Jr.
“Well we experienced heavy rains last night and this morning it wasn’t as heavy and it [subsided a bit] this afternoon which I‘m assuming that’s when the accident took place, probably around twelve o’clock, between twelve and twelve-thirty. We were experiencing hardly any rain but at the particular portion of the road that the accident took place, that portion of the road had water covering the road. So my assumption is that they hit the water and the automobile hydroplaned and then flipped over into the side of the road which was flooded and it stayed there for a period of between ten to fifteen minutes before someone came upon the accident and by that time the people in the automobile were already deceased.”
Isani Cayetano
“What was the response [like] from the police down in Placencia? I know you mentioned they were the ones whom you confirmed with earlier that there were indeed fatalities as a result of the accident. Did they tell you what their response to the scene was?”
Charles Leslie Jr.
“The police from Placencia Village and Independence Village responded to the scene of the accident promptly and I followed suit slightly thereafter and they cordoned off the portion of the road but by the time they received the report I would assume that already twenty minutes had passed and it took another ten to fifteen minutes for the police to get on site. When I personally got there, there were ambulances already on the scene. The bodies had already been removed from the vehicle and transported, I believe, to the Southern Regional Hospital.”
There’s a lesson here, I’m sure — USE YOUR SEATBELTS AND LIVE!
It’s not a hard habit to get into, and it can your life, and your loved ones.
God works in mysterious ways………………
Dang that’s sad!!!
Why arn’t their police patrolling those highways?It’s 2011 Mr Barrow time to get some highway patrol vehicles.
With Deepest Sorrow on your Greatest Loss of your Daughter & Baby unknown sex.
This comes from your big sis. Brampton in Cambridgeshier England.
In an accident like this,seat belts wouldn’t have helped but would have trapped them in and killed them anyways.May their souls rest in peace.
Awe! This is Sad, My love and prayer for the families of the lost ones.
People must drive more responsibly and Belizeans quit blaming the prime minister, The darn Police doesn’t even know the traffic laws of the land so what good will highway patrol do?? Overall drivers in the country need to slow down and don’t think the highways are a race track. I drove down to placencia when visiting Belize and must say the road design is a bit tricky
My deepest condolences to the faber family and to gianni and family and especially to both mothers. A warm hug to you gianni little brother who is a very close friend of my son since primary school to high school….its a sad occurance with god be with u all!
Blame to the PM yes. He is the one putting his incompetent family members on high jobs. this people are without skills but only connections. New head of immigration office in bemopan is PM nephew. (no skills just connections)
I do not think the PM is doing the best job possible and perhaps would not vote for him but how the heck you can blame the PM for an accident: a single car accident? This is really a stretch even if your mind is politically skew!
Just about every driver in Belize drive like an idot on the highway and extends no coutesey or any exercise common sense. I am sure the problem in this case was speeding and poor judjement on the part of the driver: It was a single car accident for heavens sakes!
While in Belize last year a guy overtook me on the road by sandhill over a speed bump running headon into a 10 wheeler loaded with sand and only the good Lord knows how he made it through: I figured he was dead! By the way he did all this only to stop at the Shell gas station by the airport road to let off someone. When I passed him up there I noticed he was in a immigration officer in uniform headed to the airport for work I guess.
We all love you Virginia you will defenently be missed…I hope God accepts you with open arms. You were helping sick people as a nurse here on earth. A true gaurdian angel….
I understand that death is not a time to be negative or political, however I need say that politicians need to keep in mind that death befalls everyone and therefore you need to treat us like humans instead of the hoggish tendencies you portray. My only point about this story is why were we paying this councilor to be out of the country studying? Damn these politicians know how to take us for a ride down stupid avenue. You know what…it’s time to reduce the number of councilors and even the number of representatives within the national assembly…let’s save ourselves about $2 mil annually.
ME what r u talking about? That does not make sense bc even if the persons that died were “COMPETENT” in your eyes they would have died anyway. WE need highway patrols to issue tickets and slow down drivers. We need more highway signs and better roads.
you people have no sympathy no heart just put yourself in the grieving family situation and tell me how you people will take it. I have four brothers and i never wish this for them or for anyone and moreover not for my self. My condolences to ur family Andrew may the Lord guide you safely home. Its just what we have to live with and accept DEATH!!!!!!!! Death is for all of us but no one know when, where and how so never point fingers on people who lose their life because remember we dont know who is next!!!!
What really took place here was really sad. I was on the scene of the accident shortly and yes I do believe that the young people that died in this accident died due to downing. This area is prone to flooding. What is really needed is a bridge and guard rails on this stretch and another area between miles 2 & 3. There are currently small culverts which is not enough to hold the water on one side of the road to the other side. WE NEED A BRIDE. Two of them on the Placencia road would work. AND YES, SEAT BELTS WOULD NOT HAVE WORKED ANYWAY. They were trapped inside of the vehicle and would not have escape anyway.
The Ministry of Transportation NEED TO PRODUCE A SERIES OF PUBLIC SERVICE ANNOUNCEMENTS ENCOURAGING …..SAFE DRIVING……
AND THE TV and RADIO STATIONS NEED TO RUN THEM for FREE as a SOCIAL SERVICE to THE NATION.
Oh come on this has nothing to do with Politics. An unfortunate accident that taken the lives of 3 innocent , law abiding people. Y’all want to bring politics into everything. Grow a mind and a conscience and say a little prayer for the families of the victims in their time of grief and for yourselves for making a political rant out of such a sad event.
We all must remember that “hydroplaned” seemingly was d caused of this accident. The highway patrol is a good suggestion. Neverthless, those that will be engaged in such task MUST be skilled in CPR training and other basic first aid training. It will not be effective to have patrols that cannot administer any medical aid to anyone if there is an accident. I don’t know these individuals; however, I am saddended by thier deaths. My deepest condolences to all their families.
My sincere sympathy to all the families involved…. It was a sad and tragic ACCIDENT …. Lets TAKE A MOMENT to pray for their souls and not to be pointing Fingers and blaming others …. GOD HAS A REASON FOR EVERYTHING …. GIANNI GENNINE TAYLOR IS AND WAS MY NIECE AND SHE WAS A LOVELY YOUNG LADY…. SHE WILL BE GREATLY MISSED ….. REST IN PEACE MY SWEET NIECE …GOD NEEDED AN ANGEL SO HE CALLED UPON YOU TO SERVE HIM…..
May they rest in peace. Get it Right, make sense, but when we kept on telling GOB tinting laws wont reduce accidents or curb crime, its disheartening to tell them WE TOLD YOU SO, when three young people are dead. Theres a lot of factors contributing to accidents, if we dont deal with them now, we will keep on burying ourselves, and if we keep on defending this government we are not doing our social duties to one another, we should press the gov to enforce transportation laws and implement sound policies to deal with the factors. Like checking tyres, alignment, brakes, windshield and wipers before licensing, make this mandatory. Put police radars to check for speeding, and beathalizers for drinking. Increase penalties on buses that stop on the highways, to pick up and drop off, speeding of buses that obviously are not racing just against each other but time. Obviously the bus accident yesterday was not as a result of racing since the new zoning laws prevented this, but sadly this and only this, not accidents as it was intended for, this then leads us to come back to square one where our thoughts that Minister Hulse only plan was to give runs to his family and friends and ensure they survive too
My friend when plans are not carefully thought out, this is the result, so the government should also be in a position to accept the criticisms under any circumstances as they are in a postion to make a difference.
R.I.P. My Drew…Missing you baby!!! My condolences goes out to your family and the families of the other two young ladies!!!
Charlie Price’s comments should be implemented—people in bze appear to speed quite a bit–it appears everyone is in a rush.Don’t know the circumstances of this accident, but sometimes even if you drive carefully mishaps do occur.
A vehicle is a wonderful mode of transportation and a real necessity, but it can easily be converted into a deadly weapon if not driven responsibly & with due diligence .Take heed guys.- use caution.
Deepest sympathies to the families.
where is the rest of this story was he drunk or what did they check him for alcohol
Unbelievable! Here are three, young people in the prime of life lost and all most of you can talk about is the politics of it. My condolences to their family, friends and colleagues. May you all find your inner strength.
My thoughts and prayers are with all of the loved ones of those who have passed. My Ginger Renee I love you with all of my heart. Our friendship meant the world to me and I have lots of good laughs and memories with you that I will cherish forever. I’m glad we spoke recently and will never forget your contagious laugh, inspiring success and loving heart. I miss you Gin!
My thoughts and prayers go out to the loved ones of those who have passed. Young lives taken much too soon. Let’s not place blame and point fingers, let’s take this as a lesson learned and story to share. My dearest Ginger Renee, I love you and will cherish the many laughs and memories that we have had. I will never forget your contagious laugh, loving heart and inspiring success. You truly are and will always be dear to my heart. I miss and love you lots Gin.
Tragic accident and the loss of four lives, RIP. Sincere sympathies to all families concerned.
what we must ask is, Why does a “new” highway have water accumulation like that? In this time and age, why are we spending millions of dollars to make roads in these swamps and yet not of the correct design? does this reflect on the incompetence of the ones approvng these plans? or are the plans more to fulfil political promises and not much about design?
There are NO ACCIDENTS………….(as there is no coincidence)
ACCIDENTS ARE SOMEONE’S IRRESPONSIBILITY COMING TO BARE.
Let’s all BE MORE CAREFUL!!!!!!!!!!
My God, you guys are stupidly sick even at the loss of three young Belizeans you find it in your sick minds to link your political garbage…when i met this young man it was around a poker table n he was more than likely the only UDP around that table but he played, ran jokes…WHY. Because we are Belizeans who went to school together, party together n grieve together so in a time of loss why not shut ur stupid one side political rant for once…Belize has to be bigger than this idiot action just hating each other because of which party each support…God Not Going To Judge You Based On If You Were UDP or PUP… But By The Hate You Spew Every Chance You Get ! R.I.P Gone Way Too Soon Andrew…Gianni….Virginia !
They were my family…
Well said Jukdog. @ Rod, you nuh left Belize yet you traitor. We don’t need negative people like you here. Einstein said “Two things are infinite: the universe and human stupidity; and I’m not sure about the the universe,” And your stupidity my friend has no limits. R.I.P to all and my condolences to the familes.
The officers from a highway patrol could have probably rendered First Aid to these people.we all got to realize that the southern highway is not as traffickable as the other highways in the Jewel.Furthermore time is a factor when it comes to treating victims of an accident.As a result i believe that a minimum of two vehicles should be assigned to every district to patrol the highways.
CEO, you are 100% right.
how sad…for the family..even more sad..that a lot of the bloggers here cannot excercise the courtesy to just say “rest in peace”… RIP my Belizean Brothers and Sisters…
RIP Andrew, Gianni and Virginia..
I agree with (jukdog) Three persons are dead and you guys are talking crap. What happen to sympathies for these people’s family?? Come on Belizeans, lets start to lookout for each other, that’s the only wah Belize will see its head way…
Yes blame it to politics , sick politics. If those guys the PM and all those people that passed to government should have done there jobs. People would live better, in everyway. Open your eyes people. We would have better roads and road signs. Better infrastructure, lives would be safed. but this @55 H.. we have for goverment only incompetent.
May you rest in peace my Uncle Drew and Cousin Virginia. It is truly a sad time for the Faber family. Andrew is Virginia’s uncle. We love you and miss you both!!!!!!
My Condolences goes out to Dave and Daphney and their entire family. I am so saden by the lost of your princess and family members. I will pray for you all.
Love and respect!
fred dixon in Los Angeles.
We definately need more signs, reflectors etc for the highways in Belize. RIP faber
Ginger you were an inspiration to many. CHOMP will never be the same without you. Heaven gained an angel but left a hole in our hearts.
Dear Daph and Dave no words can express your pain … I cry for you and for the loss of your precious, precious angel. Her smiles, her gentleness, her voice, her compassion… A lady in every way. We will miss her but, like jewels in a treasure chest Virginia will be treasured in our “memory ”
Marty, we love you. Remember the footprints in the sand. Ginnie was blest with the best brother in the world. We are so proud of you
IF WE HAD REFLECTORS OR DEVIDERS BELIZEAN WOULD FIND A WAY TO STEAL THEM AND PLACE THEM ON THEIR PROPERTY TO ENHANCE OR SHOW OFF TO THE NEIGHBORS.
My heart is heavy for the 3 people, their families plus the unborn that perished in this accident. We’re still shocked. We knew Virginia as “Ginger” here at work and it saddens me that I will not see or hear her ever again. She touched the lives of all she knew including mine and will never be forgotten. Rest with the angels and may the Lord comfort and strengthen each family of these beloved.
We All love and miss you Andrew R.I.P my friend and my condolence to the other family
Ginger u were such a sweet nurse and sweet person and I don’t think anyone got the time to see the huge heart u carried underneath ur strong personality! U were beautiful inside an outside an u had so much to offer but I think God had bigger plans for you! He brought u here for a short time to touch some lives but in doing so I thing u had a bigger impact with ur death on alot of people God helped u touch some souls an I think now u r someones guardian angel becuz I no for a fact ur in heaven keepin a look out for all of us jus to make sure we use our seat belts! We love you ginger! We miss you! An u will always be in our memories even if it’s at the pines! It will always be the pines! Luv ya! Jennifer Barraza the damn best CNA in the pines
Ginger u r now in heaven watching over us God put u here for a reason an only he nos I been going to church jus recently an I learned that we don’t always no y he does wat he does but he nos u had a heart of gold an it was as big as this world but he needed u more then us so he took u back we love u an we r blessed jus to have known u here on earth but now u will watch us but please watch us carefully ok love u! An we r gonna miss u alot love Jen from the pines the best Cna
it is quite obvious through some of these posts that stupidity and ignorance is still quiet rampant in Belize, you all need to grow a brain, and stop with the antiquated mentality. For those idiots who don’t know that word, it means you a have backward and ancient way of thinking. The only thing that should be posted below this news story is condolences to the families who lost their loved ones through this tragedy. If you want to know how or why the accident occured, perhaps you should take up a job in the police or forensic department, otherwise please keep your ignorance and stupidity to yourselves. My heart and prayers go out to the families of the victims. May their souls rest in peace.
The Ministry of Transport & Ministry of works need to do the job they are paid for and start installing speed bumps on these new roads. Place a brightly painted concrete Bollard either side, and they can be seen night and day from a safe enough distance for drivers to slow down, and the bollards will stop drivers going around the bumps, threatening pedestrians and bicycle riders, especially in the dark. These roads aren’t Formula 1 race tracks!
A tragic loss of lives caused by speeding. Two of those lives were innocent passengers.
Bus drivers, truck drivers, SUV and other car drivers – – – SLOW DOWN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!