Dangriga resident killed during hit and run accident
While the pathologist says the sixteen year old student died from hanging, the family of Jackie Bernardez want answers as to who is responsible for the loss of her life. The thirty-two year old mother of one was hit by a vehicle as she rode on George Price Drive near the Stann Creek Valley Road in Dangriga sometime before five on Saturday morning. She was discovered on the drain and her bicycle was reportedly parked at the side of the road. Its front wheel was severely damaged and at the scene police found a gold coloured fender, presumably from the offending vehicle, an SUV. The incident has left the family grief-stricken for the women they describe as a hard-working construction worker who only went out for a few hours to socialize in town and was on her way back home about a mile and a half away off the highway when tragedy struck. Her injuries were massive as Police Pathologist, Dr. Mario Estradabran told us, and today the family is appealing to the public and even the driver to come forward.
Dr. Mario Estradabran, Police Pathologist
“The post-mortem revealed she has multiple injuries in different areas of the body. It’s basically on the spine and the left knee was totally broken. She died by multiple organs failure.”
Marion Ali
“Was she hit from behind or in front?”
Dr. Mario Estradabran
“From the front. The first impact was on the left knee that’s why the left knee was totally broken.”
Therese Wilson, Mother-in-law
“She was heading home from dance cause she was at Rivera, she was at the karaoke, she was all about that night, even my own house she was. If anybody know or see anything to come up front so we can know what’s happening because right about now we don’t know nothing, only the policeman can say something.”
Marion Ali
“You have a message for the driver?”
Therese Wilson
“So sad. I’m appealing to whoever do this to Jackie to come forth and give us a helping hand.”
Jackie Bernardez will be buried on Saturday in Dangriga. She originally migrated to Belize from Honduras eighteen years ago. Bernardez has one child, a son who will turn ten years old next month.
