A teenager was killed in a traffic accident on Friday night. 17 year old Hiram Longsworth Jr. was behind the wheels of a blue Ford Escort, driving from his home in Lord’s Bank to Belize City after a basketball game when something went tragically wrong near Manatee Lookout at the Vista Del Mar cut off. According to the official police report, Hiram Jr. lost control of his blue Ford Escort and slammed into a Jeep Grand Cherokee which was parked as well as a Toyota Tundra pickup also parked. Hiram Jr. was critically injured and later died and his three passengers were hurt. Hiram’s father Hiram Longsworth Sr. received the call about the accident and told us what he found when he arrived on the scene.
Hiram Longsworth Sr., Father of Deceased
“One of JR’s first cousins came by and he was taking him back to town with another friend and that is when the incident occurred. The injury that JR got, he couldn’t say anything. I think he was out from the impact itself so that is the right there.
Reports which are being formed are that there were was two vehicles involved; one which was a Cherokee and the other one was another vehicle that was involved. But I haven’t seen any of the vehicles, only the one that JR was driving,
his mom’s car.”
Keith Swift,
When was the last time you spoke to your son?
Hiram Longsworth Sr.,
“Well Keith uhm I was at a funeral that same day and because he plays basketball, he loves that sport, and he was to go to Orange Walk because he plays in a competition in Orange Walk and I talked to him at about 6:20 and I asked him if he was going to the game and he said he will not be playing tonight. I said to handle yourself my son and take care of business. He said he was at the junction at the chiney shop buying couple stuff for his mom and that was it.
I was called and I responded promptly and I came to the hospital where I saw my son gasping for life and then I really came to my senses and said that is my son on the table. So that is the situation at this time Keith.”
Keith Swift,
He was still alive?
Hiram Longsworth Sr.,
“Yeah when I got there he was still alive. People always talk about Karl Heusner Hospital, these guys are very efficient because I got there sometime after three minutes to four o’clock and the incident happened just about 11 o’clock that night and those people were working on him and I think they tried their best to save his life.
He passed just after ten the Sunday morning. I went to see him and the doctor explained that he has a broken jaw and on the underneath of the skull, which is a more softer tissue, it was damaged pretty bad and they explained to me that they couldn’t do anything for him and my brother it is a very great loss for me. Hiram or JR as I called him, that is the man that is my right hand. Me and him had all the plans in this world and he is gone. I just can’t do anything else. It is just hard. When you lose your first son, it is a hell of a thing for me.”
Three passengers were in the Ford Escort with Hiram Longsworth Jr. and Shalima Smith was reported to be on life support while Carlton Andrews is expected to make a full recovery. Hiram Longsworth was an experienced driver but had just received his driver’s license last week.
