After two days in police detention, 33-year-old Roberto Chan had been charged for causing the death of Ralph Fonseca Jr. and Ralph Balderamos. After an investigation that was handled with extreme diligence and care, police assessed Chan with 9 charges.
For the deaths of the two Ralphs, he was charged with 2 counts of manslaughter
by negligence, and 2 counts of causing death by careless conduct. And for the injuries to Eugene 'Fatback' Webster and Haldane 'Preesho' Stevens he was charged with 2 counts of negligent grievous harm. And for the accident, he was charged with 1 count of driving a motor vehicle without due care and attention, 1 count of driving an unregistered trailer and 1 count driving with insufficient brakes. His arraignment took place late this evening, and he was offered and met bail of $10,000 after 5:00 pm.
On Tuesday, Chan was northbound in the U-Haul truck which was pulling a trailer loaded with construction rods. Between miles 51 and 52, the trailer became unhitched and vaulted into the lane of oncoming traffic. The point of the trailer smashed into Fonseca Jr.'s Prado. The massive impact killed the driver Ralph Balderamos and passenger Fonseca Jr. Fatback Webster and Preesho Stevens who were sitting in the back received multiple broken bones.
Fonseca Jr.'s father, Police Minister, Ralph Sr. had just arrived in Miami when he heard the news. He returned to Belize yesterday and is preparing for funeral services tomorrow.
