Amandala received reports late Friday evening concerning a traffic accident that occurred earlier on in Indian Creek Village in the Toledo District, reportedly involving Minister of State and Toledo West area representative, Hon. Juan Coy.
The incident took place around 5:00 p.m. as the Minister, 34; his wife Brigida Coy (nee Ical), 33; and driver and brother-in-law, police officer Venancio Salam, 30, were returning from Belize City, where they had been purchasing items to be used as gifts to mothers in the constituency for a Mother’s Day function. Coy had been driving the vehicle, a maroon 4-door Nissan Navarro with Government license plate BZ B-1708, from Belize City to Independence, Stann Creek, where he handed over to P.C. Salam. The group was in a hurry, we were told, to make a meeting at 6:00 in San Pedro Columbia, where the Minister resides.
Near the Indian Creek Lodge on the Southern Highway between Golden Stream and Big Falls, Salam lost control of the vehicle on a stretch of road that is said to have loose gravel, and the vehicle overturned. Police say the Navarro’s left front wheel tire blew out on the gravel and that caused Salam to lose control and crash on the right side of the road.
The area forms part of the last 10 miles of the Southern Highway that is currently being paved.
Mrs. Coy, a housewife, seated in the rear passenger seat, was thrown through the front windshield, suffered a cut wound to her forehead and reportedly lost an eye as well; she was formally pronounced dead at the Punta Gorda Hospital.
P.C. Salam and Hon. Coy were transported to the hospital suffering respectively from two broken ankles and various abrasions to the face including a cut wound to the nose, and were later airlifted to the Karl Heusner Memorial Hospital in Belize City.
Hon. Anthony “Boots” Martinez, Juan Coy’s Cabinet colleague and Minister of Works, met the helicopter at the hospital. He told Amandala on Sunday that Hon. Coy has been released from the KHMH after treatment for his injuries over the weekend, but that P.C. Salam remains in the hospital.
It is not clear if any of them were wearing their seatbelts. Alcohol has been ruled out as a factor in the crash. Police investigations continue.