B.D.F. Staff Sergeant dies in traffic accident

The Belize Defense Force is mourning the death of one of its own following a traffic incident on the Phillip Goldson Highway in the wee hours of this morning. Forty year old Staff Sergeant Abimael Carrillo was a passenger in the private Toyota pickup truck of warrant officer Juan Tuyub. There were two other passengers travelling with them: soldiers Severio Cowo and Julian Coc. Upon reaching the junction of the Highway and the Old Airport Road that leads to the Price Barracks Compound, Tuyub lost control of the vehicle. It overturned into a culvert overflowing with water from the heavy rains; all four wheels ended up in the air and the cabin was submerged in the water. Both Tuyub and Carrillo were trapped inside the vehicle. Passersby stopped to assist and managed to pull the vehicle out of the water before assisting both officers out of the pickup. Warrant officer Tuyub was unscathed, but Carrillo, was seriously injured. He was rushed to the B.D.F. Medical Hospital, but was pronounced dead around three a.m., an hour after the incident occurred.  Carrillo’s body was later transported to the K.H.M.H Morgue by B.D.F. ambulance and a post mortem was conducted this afternoon. News Five spoke to Chief of Staff of the B.D.F., Colonel Raymond Shepherd, who says that the group was out socializing in the city and as the officers returned to camp, the incident happened. Shepherd says that it is believed that Staff Sergeant Carrillo drowned.

Col. Raymond Shepherd, B.D.F. Chief of Staff

Col. Raymond Shepherd

“First and foremost I would like to convey on behalf of the commander, the officers—men and women—of the Belize Defense Force, our condolences and deepest sympathy to the family and friends of the deceased. It is indeed a tremendous loss to the force particularly at this time of the year.”

Reporter

“Tell us about what happened and at around what time today.”

Col. Raymond Shepherd

“As I understand it, at around, between two and two-thirty this morning, they were returning to camp and the junction of the Philip Goldson Highway and the road coming in to the camp, they overturned in the drain there. The wheels were up in the air and when they recovered, they were unable to get out of the vehicle. It is suspected that he died from drowning. We had two members: Warrant Officer Tuyub and the deceased, a Staff Sergeant Carrillo; he is a veteran of eighteen years service, forty years old and he resides in the Yo Creek Village in the Orange Walk District.”

Reporter

“Is it believed that they were out drinking and then coming back lost control or it was just because of the weather; the torrential rains as well as the flooding that may have possibly caused the accident?”

Col. Raymond Shepherd

“We are unable to ascertain at this time as there was no eyewitness when the accident occurred. But so far we only understand that they were in Belize City socializing.”

Reporter

“When were you guys notified of the incident?”

Col. Raymond Shepherd

“Within five minutes. Some vehicles were passing and they rendered aid and they came and gave us the message and some of soldiers responded.”

Warrant Officer Tuyub escaped without any injuries.