On Friday the residents of Carmelita Village lost another resident in a road traffic accident. But the man accused of doing it says it's not even his fault. Today 7NEWS reporter Jacqueline Godwin traveled to the village just outside of Orange Walk where she one family grieving and a community deeply concerned about its own safety.
Louise Banner, Sister of Deceased
"It is really hard for me, it is really hard for me. I am like his mother, he even calls me mommy."
Louise Banner and her family from Carmelita Village in the Orange Walk District are still trying to cope with the sudden and tragic loss of their brother fifty three year old Clinton Banner. Around five forty five on Friday evening Banner had just left home and was on his way to deliver coconut plants when he was knocked off his bicycle between miles forty eight and forty nine. He died one hour later after being rushed to the Northern Regional Hospital. The driver charged for the accident is thirty seven year old Anthony Lanza, a car dealer and a resident of the village. He was today released from police custody after being detained for the weekend. He believes he is not responsible.
Anthony Lanza, Driver Charged in Accident
"He was riding in the middle of the road and a lot of traffic was coming and vehicles were coming from the opposite direction and the guy was dressed in dark clothes, I couldn't see him and when I did see him, I had already made contact with him and then I applied brakes. He flew on the
hood and as soon as I applied brakes, he slid off, fell on the road, and I guess the vehicles never came to a stop yet so we just ran over him.
He was on the road and I know there is a lot of problems with bikers riding on the road and they put their lives in a lot of danger. In this case I guess the guy was on the road. If I would have hit him off the road then I would have felt bad about it. I still feel bad about it, it is somebody from here that I know. It was impossible to see him. You couldn't see the person. Out here is real dark and you just can't see anybody at night. It is hard to see them and the bike didn't have any reflectors either."
Lanza has been charged with manslaughter by negligence, driving without due care and attention, causing death by careless conduct and driving a vehicle without insurance. Lanza says he also does not believe an injury to his left eye in a previous accident caused him to hit Banner.
Ionnie Banner,
"And if I feel if that gentlemen is blind, why is he driving on the road to kill someone. That is what I feel and I feel that right because my brother wasn't sick or nothing."
As the Banner family and their friends get ready to lay their loved one to rest, the accident has raised another concern: There are no speed bumps in the village. And the community believes this has contributed to several fatal road traffic accidents. The residents say twelve people have been killed over the past five years, yet nothing has been done to slow down the traffic through Carmelita Village. Once again they are appealing to the proper authorities to do something before another life is taken.
One year ago the villagers say the Ministry of Works did erect a speed bump sign situated only a stone's throw away from where Banner was hit, but the authorities never did lay down any sleeping policeman, and instead simply painted a crosswalk on the highway. It's like a trick speed bump - the sign says it's there, but it's not, and judging from the speed at which these vehicles zoom past, it's not fooling anyone anymore.
Village chairman Randy Jones says since his council recently took office he has been appealing to the authorities for help but to no avail..
Randy Jones, Chairperson - Carmelita Village
"We appeal to the authorities again that they please look into it for us because a lot of kids live on ether side of this street. Myself I live on the other side of the street and my kids go to school on this side of the street so they have to cross all the time. We need at least three or four bumps in the village. There is a sign, so obviously the authorities are aware that we need one because they put up a sign but they didn't put any speed bump."
Lanza says at the time of his accident he was not speeding but agrees the highway has become dangerous for both drivers and pedestrians.
Anthony Lanza,
"I think they really need to put some speed bumps because every village up this way has one but this one doesn't have one. To me as a driver, we always feel like speed bumps slow us down I think they really need bumps in this village because most people normally come with a very high speed through here before they reach the toll bridge and a lot of people have been knocked down in this village too."
Benjamin Rhaburn, Resident - Carmelita Village
"I would really want this come to consideration and the people who are in charge try to get some bumps because I can't count them, the people that died from this village through car accidents."
Ionnie Banner,
"I would like to see them put the speed bumps because it could maybe knock down somebody else, maybe in the same family too because they all walk on the same road."
Mario Rhaburn, Resident
"They need a bump for the children that go to school and even on this side, our children go to school on that side and they need a bump on the road for that because the vehicles move too fast."
Luciano Hernandez, Family Friend
"School children like to cross and cross and sometimes they want to catch the bus at the right hand side and sometimes when the bus is parking they take the chance to cross the street."
On December eight Clinton Banner would have turned fifty four. But now, on Thursday his family will lay him to rest. For 7NEWS, Jacqueline Godwin.
