Many treacherous stretches of the Western Highway have been re-surfaced for better traction but on wet mornings there are countless corners on that road that are still very deadly. And so it was this morning at 7:00 when 26 year Austin Castro was rounding the stretch between miles 31 and 32. Due to slippery road Conditions, he lost control of the vehicle and collided head on into a Mitsubishi pickup driven by Winston Lisbey. Lisbey had 5 passengers in the bed of his truck and one of them, 51 year old Margarito Martinez was flung to his death and died en route to the hospital. Four other passengers are hospitalized at the Belmopan hospital in what we are told is serious condition.
Meanwhile, Castro and his passenger received only minor injuries. Today in court, Castro was charged with 9 counts including manslaughter by negligence, causing death by careless conduct, driving without due care and attention, 2 counts of negligent grievous harm, and 6 counts of wounding. He received bail of $5,000.