The other fatality happened on Friday night, sometime after 7 on the Western Highway outside of San Ignacio Town. 28 year old Edwin Valencia and his friend Eddy Panti were returning to Benque in his Mazda car with taxi plates when he ran into a Dodge Dakota pickup driven by Manuel Sanchez. Sanchez was driving in the opposite direction – from Benque enroute to San Ignacio. He told police he was attempting to overtake another vehicle when he ran into Edwin Valencia’s Mazda.
The collision was deadly, Edwin received massive injuries to his chest and later died. His passenger Eddy Panti is still hospitalized in a critical condition. Manuel Sanchez was also seriously hurt but despite his broken ribs – he was well enough to escape from police custody yesterday. He slipped away from the San Ignacio Police Station where he was taken following his release from hospital. His escape has added to the outrage of a family in grief.
Apolonio Itza, Cousin of Deceased
“A black pickup that was coming through. There was a check point on the way, I think they didn’t stop him or something, and the man just run into him. They were just coming out from the shop and he passed and knocked him out of the way.”
Ediberto Castellanos, Brother in Law of Deceased
“From what we know is that there was a checkpoint and we do not know how come whoever was responsible for the checkpoint allowed that vehicle to pass because from what we understand and what we know, that certain driver was drunk and we are appealing to whoever is responsible to come out and take responsibility for it.”
Apolonio Itza,
“The guy who commit the accident he escaped form the police station and I still cannot understand how that happened. He was in police custody and that happened yesterday in the evening. I don’t know what is going on.”
Melvin Itza, Cousin of Deceased
“One of the officers said that he just escaped and they said the guy is a Salvadoran so they think he has fled to Salvador already. But Edwin was a good guy and he was my closest cousin I had. He was like my brother. I was in San Pedro Friday night and I received the call about 8:30 that he was in an accident and he was dead but I couldn’t believe it until I came yesterday and saw it for myself and it makes me feel very sad.”
As to Valencia’s family allegation that Manuel Sanchez was drunk – the Officer Commanding San Ignacio Police Senior Superintendent Paul Wade says a blood or urine specimen was taken to test his blood alcohol level and the results are pending. As for Manuel Sanchez slipping out of their hands – he there was some negligence on the part of his officers and that will be investigated. An all points bulletin has been issued for Manuel Sanchez.
