by Charles Gladden

BELIZE CITY, Mon. Nov. 25, 2024

Two separate traffic accidents that occurred over the weekend claimed the lives of two persons.

The first accident happened in northern Belize, where a man from Carmelita Village, Orange Walk District was struck from behind by a car and was left for dead on Saturday, November 23.

After 6:00 p.m. that evening, 67-year-old Fabio Chan was riding a bicycle between Miles 57 and 58 on the Philip Goldson Highway, heading to Orange Walk Town, when he was hit from behind.

When authorities arrived at the scene, they witnessed a motionless Chan on the shoulder of the highway in a facedown position in a puddle of water with his damaged bicycle nearby. Initial inspection of Chan determined that he received a large cut wound to the head, a broken right foot, and abrasions to the back.

He was taken to the Northern Regional Hospital, where he was pronounced dead. The driver who hit Chan did not stop to assist and immediately fled the scene. Police are searching for a vehicle that matches the description of the car.

The other fatal accident involved a motorcycle and took place out west shortly before 10:00 p.m. on the same day at Mile 45 on the George Price Highway. 20-year-old Roy De Jesus Martinez and 26-year-old Kenny Garcia were traveling on a motorcycle but lost control of the bike, which fell on the pavement.

They were transported to the Western Regional Hospital, where Martinez died from his injuries and Garcia is in stable condition.