_{Melvin Ashburn, charged}

BELIZE CITY, Thurs. July 10, 2025

Tonight, a Double Head Cabbage driver is out on bail after he was arraigned this morning in the Belize City Magistrate’s Court on five traffic offenses, including 2 counts of manslaughter by negligence, two counts of causing death by careless conduct, and one count of driving without due care and attention, following a fatal traffic collision that took the life of a father and son of Biscayne Village, between Miles 27 and 28 on the Philip Goldson Highway.

The driver, 39-year-old Melvin Ashburn Harris of Double Head Cabbage, was escorted to the Belize City Magistrate’s Court at around 9:00 this morning by Ladyville police in a mobile, and an hour later at around 10:22 a.m., he was escorted into Court #1l, where he appeared before Magistrate Ludlow Black in the presence of his two attorneys, Leeroy Banner and Richard “Dickie” Bradley.

Harris was read five traffic indictable offenses for the deaths of Josue and Felipe Solis, a father and his son, which resulted from a fatal collision that occurred between Miles 27 and 28 on the Philip Goldson Highway when the white Hino truck that Harris had been driving, hit the motorcycle on which the men had been traveling.

At the arraignment, Magistrate Ludlow Black explained to Harris that, due to the nature of the offenses, no plea would be taken from him, and he would only read him the charges.

There was no objection to bail being offered to Harris, and so Magistrate Black offered him bail in the sum of $5,000 plus two sureties of $2,500 each, with conditions to his bail.

Harris must not contact any members of Solis’ family, and he must stay 100 feet from any relatives of Solis.

Harris was able to post bail, and is due back in the Belize City Magistrate’s Court on September 11, 2025.