7 News Belize

Triple Traffic Fatality On Western Hwy
posted (April 19, 2013)
When we left you last night, it was with the news that there had been a major traffic accident at mile six on the Western Highway. It turned out to be a triple fatality – three Hattieville men dead and another injured. Monica Bodden spoke to the families of the deceased today.

Monica Bodden reporting
Our news team arrived on the scene just after 7:00 last night - about 25 minutes after the accident happened. The two vehicles - a grey Suzuki car and this red pickup truck were mangled into each other in the eastbound lane of the highway.

Two bodies were inside the red pickup truck and one on the left shoulder of the highway. Both vehicles were extensively damaged - almost beyond recognition.





Leshawn Tucker - Brother of Emmerson Jones
"I was upstairs and my mom was actually at a church meeting and she called me and told me that my brother was supposedly in an accident. She was just telling me that she was going to the hospital and to look out for her."

Monica Bodden
"You had a chance to go at the scene?"

Leshawn Tucker
"No. I just went to the hospital and viewed the body when it came in."

40 year old Emmerson Jones was the driver of the red Chevy pick-up truck that was heading towards Hattieville. He was travelling with 3 other passengers: 26 year old Mark Mckoy, Godwin Flowers and Phillip Latchman- all residents of Hattieville who were hitch hiking home.

Marlon Martinez, the driver of the grey car was travelling alone and collided head on with the oncoming pickup. No other details have been released.

For Emmerson Jones's wife, she was on last night's horrific accident scene and witnessed her husband's body being placed in the back of a police pick-up truck.

Keisha Reyes - Common-Law - Wife, Emmerson Jones
" I saw three persons on the side of the road next to the vehicle. It was a horrific scene. They had to cut off the top of the vehicle to take them out. That is the only thing I saw."

Leshawn Tucker
"From what I saw, some facial and head - probably body."

Monica Bodden
"He was already dead?"

Leshawn Tucker
"Yes, he was already dead when he came to the hospital."

Monica Bodden
"Do you understand what happened last night? Did he receive a blow-out? What information did you get?"

Leshawn Tucker
"When I got there, a lot of other relatives were there for the people that died. It seems another car probably swerved into the vehicle that they were travelling in and maybe that caused the accident."

Monica Bodden
"Your brother was the driver of the vehicle?"

Leshawn Tucker
"Yes he was driving his vehicle. He had other people that were riding with him."

3 of the four men travelling in the red chevy pick-up truck died on impact while the fourth man, Phillip Latchman survived and is currently at the KHMH in a critical condition - he received injuries to his entire body. The driver of the small car escaped with minor injuries.

Keisha Reyes
"Well up to now everything is just slow. Nothing will be able to be said about the accident until the Post Mortem is done. I just spoke to the Sergeant and she said I needed to talk to Dr. Estradaban first and then they will contact me."

Monica Bodden
"Do you know if any other tests will be conducted to the other driver to see if he was under the influence?"

Keisha Reyes
"I am not sure. I do hope so because rumors are going around that he passed through Hattieville driving crazily. Then again we don't know who is at fault. We just have to leave it in the good Lord's hands."

Emmerson Jones was an employee of BWEL and leaves behind 6 young children. 26 year old Mark Mckoy was an employee of the Port Authority and also leaves behind one young child. Godwin Flowers was a pastor of Hattieville and leaves behind 4 children. There is speculation that the driver of the small car may have been under the influence. Police are yet to confirm that information.

Michael Flowers - Son of Godwin Flowers
"I was at a friend's house and my friend's mother came and told me what happened because she had seen what had happened while she was on the bus. She heard that my father got into an accident."

Monica Bodden
"Did you have a chance to go on the scene? Did you got to the hospital after?"

Michael Flowers
"No. None at all."

Monica Bodden
"But you understand that he died on the spot?"

Michael Flowers
"That is what I heard. They told me it but I didn't believe it any at all."

Monica Bodden
"You don't exactly know what exactly happened?"

Michael Flowers
"No. All I know is that he got into an accident."

Monica Bodden
"He was coming home from work? Does he commute everyday?"

Michael Flowers
"He was on holiday but he went to Belize to run some errands and went to pay bills. He was coming back home from Belize. He also went to visit my grandmother yesterday."

Monica Bodden
"You saw him before he left?"

Michael Flowers
"Yes, yesterday morning was the last time I saw him."

Ionnie Jones - Sister of Mark Mckoy
"When the police brought him I saw that his face was covered with blood and he had a cut on his face. Instead of coming to the family to talk to us the police were acting like dogs with the family."

Monica Bodden
"Why would you say that?"

Ionnie Jones
"Apparently when my aunt went on the scene they scolded her and chased them away like dogs. They didn't want my mom to see my little brother. They were saying that it was a police case and that the family would have to wait until the investigation is over. That is my only brother and my mother's only son. I don't have any other brothers, not by my father's side nor mother's side. My brother is an innocent person. He doesn't go to the club the only thing he does is comes to Belize City to work and goes back to Hattieville. He and my aunt's husband hang out and talk. He helps my aunt with anything in her yard and her house. He is someone that doesn't give trouble. Anybody that knows 'Bupsy' knows that he doesn't give trouble. Nobody that you interview can say that my little was a trouble maker. My little brother was a cool guy. But when destiny calls then you can't cheat it. That is my only brother but this is what I have to say. The family of the person that made my little brother die - you need to give me back a brother and you can't do that."

Police have not said what – if any – charges may be levied against the driver of the Suzuki Car, Marlon Martinez. But in such cases, it is standard that he be served with a notice of intended prosecution.

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