Resort employees injured in accident
A near fatal road traffic accident involving two vehicles traveling in opposite directions along the Western Highway several miles outside of Benque Viejo Town on Monday morning has left three people, employees of Windy Hill Resort, severely injured. The collision occurred between miles sixty-nine and seventy as a green Toyota HiAce, driven by Luis Polanco, was transporting a team of workers for an early shift. Upon nearing the dumpsite, which is also situated along the highway, Polanco observed a maroon Isuzu D-Max, driven by Ian Vega, heading towards him. According to Erlin Pook, Polanco tried flashing his lights to signal the oncoming vehicle but avoiding the speeding pickup was futile. The lateral impact of the Isuzu D-Max upon crashing into the minibus critically injured Erlin Pook, Luis Polanco and Reina Ruiz. Pook suffered a broken tibia while Ruiz received a huge laceration to the lower leg as well as several bruises across the body. Polanco, on the other hand, is fighting for his life at the Belize Healthcare Partners where he remains in a coma after being trapped inside the vehicle for almost an hour. Since the accident he has suffered two cardiac arrests. Polanco’s brain continues to swell and he has had to undergo another emergency surgery this evening. News Five spoke with Erlin Pook who is currently hospitalized at the KHMH.
Erlin Pook, Accident Victim
Erlin Pook
“We were heading to work at Windy Hill Resort. We were driving on the Western Highway around mile seventy by the garbage dump there and were heading to work when we saw this vehicle coming the other way next to us and this vehicle was coming so fast and then with his high beams. Our driver he blinked the light at him and he didn’t probably see it and he run into us and our van that was taking us to work crashed with the other car. The next thing I knew I was unconscious and then when I regained consciousness again I heard the driver and the other person with us traveling they were screaming for help. So I tried coming out of the vehicle and then I dropped down and then I realized that I had a broken foot. Afterwards I know that certain people, other people were coming, traveling the same highway, they stopped and rendered some aid to us. We were taken to San Ignacio Hospital and upon reaching there my friend Reina they rushed her because she had a big cut wound on her leg. She was bleeding and then I was left outside so that afterwards I was going to be taken care of.”
Isani Cayetano
“My understanding is that a third passenger in the vehicle, Luis Polanco remains in a critical situation, condition that is, at the Healthcare Partners Ltd. Can you speak to us, your knowledge if any, on his particular state other than the fact that I’ve been told he has been in an out of coma since?”
Erlin Pook
“Yeah. Well what I know is that he was there in the car stuck for almost an hour so that the boat from Spanish Lookout could reach and take him out. At the moment he is in coma. He has a fractured face. His lips here were split open, [he has] broken legs and ribs. [He’s had] two cardiac arrests already and he’s very critical but still hanging there. My friend Reina she has a big cut wound. She complains of pain on her chest and spinal cord. So those are the three [of us] that were there.”
So what about the other driver?
Why not show his stupid drunk face?
He has too much money?
Far too much corruption in this country!!!
yea why not show his face?? Did Ian Vega spend a day or hrs in lock down????
I know he caused the accident he was drunk. he was at Benque Rock Okis Night Club whole night drinking along with his brothers Dito and Ronie. He was so drunk that he almost fell and knock down two tables. Whats there to investigate?? was blood or urine sample taken??. I hope the police do their job the way they should because money cant bring back a life
What isn’t Ian VEGA not mentioned at all??? What about the car and did he got hurt? Or are you afraid to bring him up without mr.Vega’s permission? Oh they can do whatever they want but if it was the other way..bet you that this poor other driver would be locked up already….Shame on you,, the news and all Belize….just like what happened with Michael SILVA…where is he..what dont we bring him back from the US and come face his charges???
money talks and b s walks……officers at the si police formation are so corrupt they even forget what their duties are at their post. i can tell u from experience…..get rid of Mai and d lady willy. look how crime just spurring out of control- good for u if u have a little elizabeth and better the benjamins……
but one day it will hit on their door step i hope they save all the corrupt pennies to buy their way out…..shame on them….
if it was a poor person he probably would still be locked up……ONE DAY ONE DAY THE BARREL WILL TURN!!!!!
The driver who caused the crash was intoxicated and should be charged and punished…let’s just hope he isn’t charged with causing death. My prayers go out to the victims. Vega is acting PM, no? Let’s see if the police have the guts to charge Ian Vega. I doubt it.
I am worried for the poor driver of the van, you know they will find some way to blame him and charge him for this. People of Belize wake up and realize that you are at the mercy and disposal of the rich bourgeoisie and it’s is quantifiably worst when these aristocrats are politically affiliated. The police, ha they are there to protect and serve only our rich masters in this country. I know the ordinary and especially poor people can relate to this, when you call the police they come when they feel like or none at all; but let the vega’s or one of our rich masters call they drop everything and come. So in essence you are paying the police salaries to protect only the rich. Our back is against the wall people because all this makes me wonder who do we really need protection from and who we should really be afraid of… the criminals or the police and our rich masters?
their is one saying that people say in this lovely world we live in and it goes like this” What goes around comes around ” that guy vega was piss off drunk at the club everyone that saw him should comment on it so that vega family be ashame of the kind relative of relative they have al we have to do now is pray to God to help my friend recover from what he is going true.
Luis Polanco is a personal friend of mine and I am anguished by what happened. We certainly hope for justice, he is a father of two and a husband. It is very unfair that his life has been affected by such reckless behavior of an imature kid.!! Thanks for all the support on this matter and lets not be too passive as a community and stand up for justice. Thanks!!!
DUI laws are needed immediately. How many “accidents” have to happen involving drunken A**holes?
Agree with all the above comments
i was there fr the acccident that monday morning and yeah Ian Vega had the fault you could had seen in the scene that Ian’s car was on the other side
my prayers to the victims … hope they get better soon, I have seen Mr Erlin Puc go everyday to work and its so sad seeing him hospitalized just because of a drunker, hope justice is made….
I was also at the crash site, there was no tire marks behind Vega’s vehicle. This kid did not even step on his break!!!!!!!! Vega should talke responsibility and even call or show his face to his victims. Poor people heading to work on the 26th of Dec, while he was still partying……. Belizeans let stand for justice. All Vegas are hiding they are not even showing their faces in Benque! I’m sorry I mean their classy cars are no where to be seen….. With this I call anyone who saw then drunk to make a report, let’s make justice!
!@#$ you all.!! We are all human beings and as I must know, it should all be forgiven. And hell no, it’s not Vega’s fault. All you people are just so !@#$%^& jealous, everytime you hear about the Vega’s u all go off & start talking $#!%. I mean you don’t really know them and if you did you would choke up all those negative words ur saying
Shut the !@#$ up.!! We are all human beings and as I must know, it should all be forgiven. And hell no, it’s not Vega’s fault. All you people are just so !@#$%^& jealous, everytime you hear about the Vega’s u all go off & start talking $#!%. I mean you don’t really know them and if you did you would choke up all those negative words ur saying. And don’t judge if ya’ll don’t know what was really going on & most especially don’t talk $#!% just because they are Vega’s. So talk all you want, and Yess dawling what goes around comes around. And there is always a God.! But it’s just an accident for god’s sake. You all that are commenting should learn to be civilized.!!! But anyway, people will always be talking whether it’s wrong or right.
Sounds like Unkown is either a Vega or in their pockets.
This is not just an accident you idiot, this ignorant kid cause the death of a child, brother, husband and father or does that not ring a bell in your world? I guess in your family killing someone is “just an accident” right? What would you say if it happened to one of yours?
People are not saying these things because they are jealous of the Vegas, they are saying it because they are right.
Lets see what charges will come to Ian Vega for causing this death, at most we can expect a driving without due care and attention when in reality he should be getting Murder, Driving Under the Influence, Causing Grevious Harm and the list could go on and on.
I wonder if the Vegas will help take care of the children that they robbed of a father? These children will suffer for the rest of their lives because of the actions of a rich spoiled kid.
The worst part is that a lesson may never be learned here except that driving under the influence and killing someone is ok if you are rich or know someone in Govt.
Si estoy de acuerdo con todos los comentarios. Y como no se muere ese …… …… de Ian Vega y a la ………. con todo su dinero!!!
who is this person defending a drunk driver, whether he is vega or not? so what you’re trying to say is that we, as human beings should forgive a reckless drunk driver, who shouldn’t have been driving in the first place while intoxicated, because he made a mistake? If these kind of mistakes should be so easily forgiven, even when a life is lost, why must there be law enforcers and police officers? you are as ridiculous as you sound. And what does jealousy have to do with people wanting to see justice be served?? Child, please grow up!