WESTERN BORDER, Cayo District, Tues. Mar. 13, 2018– Marcus Fernando Zabaleto, 38, a truck driver of Melchor De Mencos, Guatemala, died after a freightliner 18-wheel cargo truck, under which he was sleeping, rolled over his head at about 11:00 Friday morning, March 9, at the Western Border.

Police and firemen jacked up the back wheel of the truck, and Zabaleto’s head, which was wedged between the truck’s two back wheels, was freed. He was put on a stretcher and taken to the San Ignacio Hospital Morgue.

Reports to us are that Zabaleto was in the parking lot of the cargo area of the Belize Western Border, when he went under the truck and took a nap. He was sleeping when the truck driver, Jose Alfredo Guevara, 53, of Santa Ana Petén, Guatemala, who did not walk around the truck to make sure that all was clear, got into the truck and drove out of the compound, rolling over Zabaleto.

People in the compound quickly stopped Guerra, but by that time, it was too late. He had been dragging the crushed body, which was lodged between the wheels, for a distance, mangling the body.

Police arrested and charged Guerra with manslaughter by negligence, causing death by careless conduct and driving without due care and attention.

We were informed that Guerra was taken to the San Ignacio Magistrate’s Court today, and was remanded until Wednesday, May 30.