by Charles Gladden
BLUE CREEK, Orange Walk District, Mon. Mar. 20, 2023
On Saturday, March 18, a road traffic accident in Blue Creek Village, Orange Walk District, involving a Toyota 4Runner and a motorcycle, claimed the life of a 7-year-old boy.
Reports have indicated that around 8:00 a.m., 12-year-old Isaiah Kraan was riding a motorcycle with his younger brother, 7-year-old Matthew Kraan, who was seated behind him on the motorcycle when they collided into the Toyota 4Runner, which was being driven at the time by Susan Fraze.
The Kraan brothers were transported to the Northern Regional Hospital, where young Matthew Kraan succumbed to his injuries, and Isaiah is listed as being in critical condition.
It is commonplace in some Mennonite communities for motor vehicles, including large machinery, to be driven and operated by young minors. Communications Director for the Belize Police Department, ASP Fitzroy Yearwood, has indicated that a review of the law will be done to see if any offense(s) were committed.
“We know that the investigators are looking at every angle when it comes to this accident. We know that in some of these Mennonite communities, for the purpose of working, their machinery [is] operating by minors at times. The law goes when it comes to their usage of these machinery and equipment. We would really have to review and carefully go through the laws to see the offense if any were committed by these minors,” said ASP Yearwood.
Local reporters asked ASP Yearwood whether an NIP (Notice of Intended Prosecution) will be served to Fraze; and he said that she will be given one regardless of whether she was at fault or not, and will [not] be cleared until the investigation determines otherwise.