A Salvadoran clothes vendor, known only as “Sergio,” who resided in San Ignacio, died after a vehicle hit him, killing him almost immediately. Sergio was riding his bicycle on the side of the road when the vehicle hit, and then rolled over, him. He was pinned under the vehicle, which dragged him on the road for a short distance before it came to a stop.

The incident occurred about 7:30 Monday evening near Chuc’s Gas Station in San Ignacio on the Benque Viejo Road.

Rene Guidel, 33, a businessman of Mosquitoville area in San Ignacio, was arrested and charged with causing death by careless conduct, driving without due care and attention, and manslaughter by negligence. He was taken to the San Ignacio Magistrate’s Court today, Thursday, to answer to the charges.

Guidel told police that he was driving his vehicle to Cahal Pech and on Buena Vista Street, as he was passing the Chuc’s Gas Station on San Ignacio’s Benque Road, the high beam of an oncoming vehicle blinded him, and when he recovered his vision, a man who was riding a bicycle on the side of the road, was in front of him.

Guidel told police that he tried to avoid hitting the cyclist, but the right side of the vehicle slammed into him, knocking him down and pinning him under the vehicle for a short time before he (Guidel) was able to bring the vehicle to a stop.

Guidel was detained and charged with the three traffic offenses.

Friends and associates of Sergio said that he has no known family living in the country, and they, his friends, have come together to give him a decent burial in San Ignacio after funeral services at the Esquipulas Church in San Ignacio today.