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A traffic accident in the north involving three vehicles has left one man dead – and it could be the fault of a policeman who was reportedly swerving across the road. It happened around 6 yesterday evening in Carmelita village.

Richard Orellana, a well-known businessman of Orange Walk, died on the spot. He was driving a Ford Explorer, which was extensively damaged. The other vehicles involved were a blue Kia Sorrento, which was being driven at the time by Phillip Waight and a silver Kia Sorento, which was being driven by Police officer of Belmopan Roberto Tec. Here is the official version of the crash: 

Inspector Nicholas Palomo - Deputy OC, Orange Walk
"Initial investigation reveal that the blue ford explorer bearing license plate OW C05085 was travelling in a south to north direction heading to Orange Walk and the silver kia sorento bearing license plate BMP C04853 was travelling in a north to south direction heading to Belize City and the blue kia sorento was parked on the right side of the highway in a north to south direction. When both vehicles that were travelling in the opposite direction the silver kia sorento entered the lane of the oncoming blue ford explorer hitting it almost head on causing the ford explorer to collide to the parked blue kia sorento. The silver kia sorento and the ford explorer received excessive damages. Roberto Tec was escorted to the Orange Walk northern regional hospital and he was later transferred to the KHMH in Belize City in a very critical condition. Richard Orellana's body was transported to the Orange Walk morgue where it awaits a post mortem."

Now, while that is the official story, multiple reports say that Police Officer Roberto Tec was the singular cause of the accident – because he was all over the road, consistent with drunk driving. In fact, he almost crashed into another vehicle around mile 43! That’s when Tec apparently made a U-turn and headed back to Orange Walk and caused the collision that killed Richard Orellana. Here is what one eye witness told CTV-3 News about that side of the story. 

Eyewitness
"I was heading to Shipyard and on the opposite side of me look like a drunken driver was driving; I saw him long time swerving off and on the road and it was coming with a good speed and he was coming towards me head on and I swerved off the road and I hit into a lamp post."

Reporter
"Before you crashed into the lamp post did you see if the driver was deaded in the same direction up or did he turn around?"

Eyewitness
"He was heading toward Belize City but he was heading into me looking like he wa crash into me so I swerve off the road and was drifting up and down the road and hit with the lamp post."

Reporter
"So to avoid colliding into the vehicle you swerved off the road?"

Eyewitness
"Yeah."

Reporter
"What have you heard about the other accident that was caused ahead?"

Eyewitness
"Well I was over there at the scene; I heard they were accusing me of causing that accident over there."

Police are investigating that incident separately. Police have taken blood sample from Tec to determine his alcohol content. We’ll keep following it.