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Drunk Driver Killed Esmond
posted (December 3, 2012)
And in the city, a well-known local character was knocked down and killed, police say most likely by a drunk driver.

Esmond White was knocked down and killed on the Northern Highway between Traveler's Bar and Friendship restaurant. It's a stretch of road that's always heavily trafficked, and on Friday nights - add in the drunk drivers and hotheads, and it's barely controlled chaos.

And it is in that chaos that the diminutive Esmond White lost his life.

He's well known in the area as what you might call a "run-man" - but on Friday night, he ran into a drunk driver. Monica Bodden reports:..

Monica Bodden reporting
The fatal traffic accident happened here in front of Travellers One Barrel Bar on Friday night just before 11.

44 year old Esmond Wright was knocked down from off his green mountain bike- By a blue Avenger car which was travelling in the direction towards Belize City.

He received severe head and body injuries and died on the spot.

Cecil Tillett - Brother of Decease
"I got the news in the morning. The police found me and they told me about it."

Monica Bodden
"What did you understand happened?"

Cecil Tillett - Brother of Decease
"I understand that he got knock down somewhere around Friendship Restaurant area. I am not sure where."

The driver of the vehicle is identified as 20 year old Amrick Escobar of Lords Bank Village. He was arrested and charged with causing death through carless conduct, driving without due care and attention, manslaughter by negligence and driving over the prescribed alcohol limit.

Monica Bodden
"At this point, do you understand if the driver was intoxicated or anything?"

Cecil Tillett - Brother of Decease
"Not as I know because the police hadn't told me about that."

Monica Bodden
"So you haven't received any information as yet about what happened out there with your brother?"

Cecil Tillett - Brother of Decease
"Not as yet."

Construction work is being done on two new pedestrian ramps only half mile away from where Friday night's accident happened. But many drivers and pedestrians agreed that a pedestrian crossing is essential in front of Travellers One Barrel bar and Friendship Chinese restaurant - an area which is poorly lit and heavily trafficked especially on a Friday night.

But for Cecil Tillett - his brother is gone and now he is left to cope with the reality of losing his only sibling.

Cecil Tillett - Brother of Decease
"I am shaking right now and I don't know how I am going to feel when I go to witness the post-mortem - if I will faint because I am still shaking."

Monica Bodden
"He is your only brother?"

Cecil Tillett - Brother of Decease
"Yes, it's just two of us."

Monica Bodden
"You are close to your brother?"

Cecil Tillett - Brother of Decease
"Yes very close."

Monica Bodden
"Did he have any children?"

Cecil Tillett - Brother of Decease
"No."

Monica Bodden
"You want justice for what happened?"

Cecil Tillett - Brother of Decease
"Yeah, I would."

Monica Bodden
"How would you describe your brother to us? I know so many people who actually know him because he is always a fun loving person."

Cecil Tillett - Brother of Decease
"He is a well-known person - always on the bus messing around with people on the bus and sometimes if he is not there he is at Travellers Bar."

20 year old Amrick Escobar, a resident of Lord's Bank, was arraigned today before Chief Magistrate Anne Marie Smith on charges of manslaughter by negligence, driving a motor vehicle without due care and attention, causing death by careless conduct and driving a motor vehicle with alcohol above the prescribed limit.

He was released on a bail of $5,000, and he is to return to court on January 22

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