By Charles Gladden
STANN CREEK DISTRICT, Mon. May 23, 2022
A number of police officers were injured, and one police officer lost his life, in a series of traffic accidents that took place over the last few days in various parts of the country.
The death of police constable Kevin Ack, 21, who died on Thursday night on the Southern Highway between Miles 35 and 36 while driving a motorcycle to Independence village in Stann Creek, where he was posted, is covered elsewhere in this issue of the AMANDALA.
Another traffic accident took place at around 12:15 a.m. on Sunday, May 22, when Jose Carabantes, attached to Maya Beach Police, was returning to his post after conducting patrols on a police-issued motorcycle. Another motorcycle, driven by 22-year-old Damian Avilez, was in front of him at the time, and, Avilez is claiming that he had signaled that he was turning into Maya Resort, but as he was attempting to make that turn, Carabantes tried to overtake him to the left and the two motorcycles collided.
Carabantes was transported to the Independence Polyclinic and later rushed to the Southern Regional Hospital, where he was listed as being in a critical condition. A CT Scan was performed on him, and police are awaiting the results. It has been reported that Carabantes has since regained consciousness and is communicating with investigating police officers.
The third accident took place sometime around 6:00 p.m. on Sunday in the vicinity of Benque Viejo Town, Cayo District, where Police Constable Douglas Card and 10 other police officers from Precinct Two Eastern Division in Belize City were injured after their van overturned.
According to initial police reports, the group had traveled to Pontoon Falls on a recreational trip, but when they arrived near the junction of the Arenal Road, Card, who was driving the van, felt the vehicle leaning and tried to restore it to a level position. However, during that attempt he lost control of the vehicle, which fell onto its left side.
Five police officers were injured as a result: Louise Longsworth, Shanice Bevans, Tiffara Grant, Denique Banks, and Oscar Usher.
Four of the injured officers were treated and released, but Usher, who is reportedly suffering from breathing complications, remains at the San Ignacio Community Hospital.
The remaining officers, including Card, didn’t receive any injuries.
Card told police that the van suffered mechanical failures, which caused the accident. The Police Department’s communications director, ASP Yearwood, told reporters, however, that an inspection will be done on the vehicle to determine whether Card’s statement was true.
“He is claiming that he experienced mechanical problems and he said they managed to flip back the van, and the van was taken to Benque Police Station, where we are expecting a full inspection to be done today on that vehicle to see if indeed he suffered mechanical errors,” said ASP Yearwood.
Police have gathered urine samples from Card as part of their investigation.