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Disgraced Deputy In Fatal Traffic Accident
posted (August 18, 2014)
Deputy Commissioner of Police Miguel Segura is disgraced tonight. The #2 police officer has been served with a notice of intended prosecution for a long list of charges for his role in a traffic fatality - in which, it is being alleged, he was driving under the influence.

On Saturday morning at about 5:30, Segura was driving a police issued Nissan Pathfinder to his home in Benque Viejo when he crashed head on into a taxi which was heading to San Ignacio. It happened just outside Succotz village and the female market vendor who was in the passenger seat died on impact, while the driver suffered multiple injuries. His condition has been upgraded from critical to stable - but as you'll hear from his family later on, he's far from being out of the woods.

But, while the dead and the injured are the bottom line on this story - probably the most damning evidence against Segura is a cell phone video, which went viral on facebook this weekend. We warn you the video may be objectionable to some - but because he is such a senior official, we have to show it. It was captured shortly after the accident and it shows Segura in a white shirt and uniform pants, first putting his pistol into his left pocket and then absently saying, "Wow!"

Segura then cooly pulls out a cigarette, takes a puff, and then goes to pull up his pants - which is unbuttoned. What makes it most jarring is that all this is happening ten feet from where the accident victim 54-year-old Yolanda Consuelo Valencia lies dead in the taxi.

It is being seen as conduct most unbecoming for the second most senior police officer in the country - and it would be bad enough by itself - but, of course, it is far worse because a woman is dead.

The police senior command has been under scrutiny this weekend because of the public apprehension that the Department would - as it has historically - protect one of its own. But this evening at 4:00 pm, in Belmopan they held a press conference at the ministry of national security to show and prove that they are dealing with the Segura case expeditiously and with all seriousness:..

Allen Whylie - Commissioner of Police
"I have written to this ministry for onward transmission to the security services commission for the interdictions/suspension of the Deputy Commission of Police Mr. Segura from active police duty pending the outcome of this investigation. The postmortem I know on Ms. Yolanda is schedule for today and that postmortem is ongoing. I have not had any communication in terms if it has been concluded and what is the results of the autopsy. I also directed the officer commanding Benque who is investigating this matter to ensure that he took the necessary specimens of blood to the `National Forensic Lab today and I know that he is there. The analysis is being done, but we have not yet received a result of that analysis."

"The issue of the alcohol concentration would be one of the issues. Remember as I have said we've submitted the statements that we have today to the acting DPP. If the acting DPP is satisfied and reach a conclusion then he will either tell us to charge and he would advise us with the appropriate charges which more than likely will be manslaughter by negligence, driving without due care and attention etc. But we are not at that stage yet because the acting DPP as I said is still reviewing the files."

"In terms of his continued future in the department, as we indicated earlier he is entitled to due process. If it reaches that stage where he is charge then he will have his fair day in court and the court will arrive at some determination or when that arrives then we move from there."

"As I said presently with the suspension he is basically interdicted and is away from actual duties."

"I have known Mr. Segura his entire police career. He is an outstanding, hardworking officer recently promoted to deputy because of the excellent work that he has done. He has always been professional in the discharge of his duties and as I said all of us are with fault, none of us are faultless. From time to time all of us do things that we should not do and that is part of being human and so I will not condemn him. I will not condemn anybody. I will say that we will do what we need to do to assure the family and the nation that we are thorough and on top of this, but we will also not forget that he is a fellow officer and the process takes its place."

Yolanda Consuelo Valencia was the mother of five. Later on, we'll have more from the press conference, plus the fallout from the accident and the video.

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