BELIZE, Mon. June 7, 2021– Over the last week, there have been two fatal hit-and-run incidents. The first incident occurred near the Lemonal Road in rural Belize. Based on information received, police canvassed the area surrounding the Lemonal Road, where they ultimately found the lifeless body of Thomas Sutherland. His body was thereafter rushed to the Karl Heusner Memorial Hospital, where he was pronounced dead on arrival.

Initial reports are that he was hit by a motorcycle. A further search of the area led to the recovery of the motorcycle that he was reportedly riding at the time of the accident. The police have one person in custody who they believe is the hit-and-run driver, and it is expected that charges will soon be brought against him.

The second incident occurred in Valley of Peace village. Police were called to an area on the Valley of Peace Road around 6:00 on Sunday morning, June 6. Upon arrival at the scene, the police saw the lifeless body of a Hispanic male with severe injuries to the head not too far away from the highway.

The scene surrounding the incident was processed, and the police canvassed the area for possible clues that could lead to an arrest. The man’s body was later removed and taken to the Western Regional Hospital, where he was pronounced dead on arrival.

The deceased man is believed to be a 23-year-old Guatemalan national, Julio Cesar Pizol, who was living in Teakettle Village with his common-law wife. The police are awaiting the results of a postmortem exam to determine the cause of his death.

Pizol was last seen by his family on Saturday afternoon. It is believed that Pizol may have been spotted on Saturday night prior to his death in a nightclub on the outskirts of Belmopan.