Email

Print

That accident happened at around 9:00 yesterday morning, and our news team was on the scene shortly after. Daniel Ortiz reports:

Daniel Ortiz reporting
On Saturday just before 11:00, Ladyville police were finally able to restore traffic flow on the Northern Highway. That's after it had been at a standstill for at least 2 hours after the second accident at the same mile 6 curve.

The victims of this accident were not as fortunate as the first. 80 year-old Alfredo Navarrete of Burrell Boom Village, and the well-known Southside money lender Pamela Bennett-Cumberbatch died on the scene after the terrible head-on collision between this Grey Dodge Caravan, and this white Toyota Tundra Pickup truck. Her husband, 35 year-old Calvin Cumberbatch was rushed in a critical condition to the KHMH shortly after the accident.

In the aftermath, both vehicles were extensively mangled by the impact, and whereas police did manage to remove the van rather swiftly, the pickup proved to be very difficult.

It was tightly wrapped around one of the trees near the edge of the river. The tow truck driver had to do quite a bit of maneuvering to get it unstuck, and then to flip it back onto it's wheels. Had those trees not been there, both vehicles would have probably ended up in the river after they slammed into each other.

Police and other emergency personnel had to extricate the bodies of both Navarrete and Bennett-Cumberbatch from their vehicles.

Sr. Supt. Edward Broaster - OC, Eastern Division Rural
"At 9am we had the unfortunate accident that claimed the lives of Miss Pamela Bennett and Mr. Alfredo Navarrete. Miss Pamela Bennett was in the Tundra pickup truck along with Mr. Cumberbatch traveling to Orange Walk, while Mr. Navarrete was traveling toward Belize City when both collided between mile 5 and 6 on the Philip Goldson Highway. They were check by Dr. Fernando Cuellar and was pronounced dead at the scene. Mr. Calvin Cumberbatch was taken to the KHMH where he is undergoing treatment. Blood and urine samples were taken from him and that matter is being investigated."

Police don't yet know what happened, and they'll do their investigation and evidence taking. What we've been able to find out independently was that Alfredo Navarrete was driving down from his Burrell Boom Home in his van. He was on his way to Belize City, to meet up with family members. According to his family, who spoke to us off-record, he is very well known to be a careful driver who strictly observes the speed limit. They believe that because it was a curve, he never saw the Tundra Pickup coming.

That pick-up was being driven by Calvin Cumberbatch, and "Ms. Pam" was in the passenger seat. They were on their way to Sandhill Village on business, but they never made it. These two trips ended in unexpected tragedy, and now police wait patiently to see if Calvin Cumberbatch will pull through. If and when he does, they intend to interrogate him to find out what went wrong to cause the deadly accident.

Sr. Supt. Edward Broaster - OC, Eastern Division Rural
"We are awaiting Mr. Calvin Cumberbatch recovery so that we can interview him to find out exactly what transpired."

We also approached the family of Pamela Bennett-Cumberbatch, and they declined comment. They recently had to mourn the loss of one of their loved ones, and tragedy has revisited their home. Viewers may remember that Bennet's son, Mark Gentle, was fatally shot 7 months ago in June. That's after her house on Caesar Ridge Road was sprayed by gunfire. As we noted, Bennett, or "Ms Pam" as she was known was a prolific money lenders on the southside, and there's no word from the family on what will now happen to all those debts.