2 accidents; one student loses life in the south
Just after seven on Thursday night, an extensively damaged white car was seen off the right hand side of Central American Boulevard. The car, driven at the time by Homer Dakers, was allegedly speeding from the direction of Faber’s Road and lost control on a curve. But before coming to an abrupt stop in the driveway to a house, the car slammed into a white ford truck belonging to Leroy Smith. At least one of its passengers was reportedly injured and was taken to the K.H.M.H. for medical assistance. Police say it is a minor accident, but Smith says he saw an injured man on the ground and another inside the vehicle. While the white car was totaled, Smith says that his truck received about twenty-five hundred dollars worth of damages.
Leroy Smith, Vehicle Damaged in Accident
Leroy Smith
“I was upstairs sleeping and my daughter come and hail me; daddy, daddy, dehn knock yo truck. So when I came down I saw a white car parked in the neighbor’s driveway like somebody set it there. And when I noticed my truck was extensively damaged. My daughter said that the guys were coming from down the boulevard in a fast pace and lose control of the car…”
Duane Moody
“…And knocked into your Ford Truck and then ended up there, right?”
Leroy Smith
“In my neighbor’s driveway; yes.”
Duane Moody
“When you came out, what did you see?”
Leroy Smith
“Well I saw a young lad on the ground laying down and a next one; the driver behind the steering wheel can’t move. After a while, the police came and take them away.”
Duane Moody
“They were badly injured?”
Leroy Smith
“One of them was badly injured but the other one; no.”
Duane Moody
“That was the one on the ground?”
Leroy Smith
“Yes the one on the ground was badly injured. My bumper damaged; my door can’t lock good; my hood can’t lock good. So just gotta wait for the insurance now to see what they gonna do.”
Nalleli Canelaas
There was another accident this time on the Southern Highway that claimed the life of a student. Eighteen year old Nalleli Canelaas, a third form student of Independence High School was killed on Thursday evening when she was struck by an SUV. It is said that Canelaas had just alighted a bus in San Juan Village and when crossing the highway was knocked down. She sustained massive head and body injuries and died on the spot.
So sad about Miss Canelaas. My prayers are with her and her family and friends.
If it’s not against the law to pass a bus while it is unloading passengers, it should be. It is foreseeable that people especially youngsters, will come out a little suddenly from around the bus. Drivers must have the responsibility to give the passengers the right of way to get to safety.
It is against the law to pass a bus while passangers are embarking but, it is not in Belize we are still a couple of years behind in some parts of the world, in that regard.