In May of 2007 on San Pedro, 44 year old Driver Elodio Balam was driving a bobcat loader when he reversed and drove over an eight year old boy who was walking home from school. The child suffered severe chest injuries and died a few minutes later at the Health Center. Balam was charged with manslaughter by negligence and today pleaded guilty to the lesser charge of causing death by careless conduct.

He was fined eight thousand dollars to be paid by March 5th, 2011 and ordered to pay ten thousand dollars in compensation to the family of the deceased child by April 30th, 2011. Justice Michelle Arana told Balam that the maximum sentence is two years but she will not send him to prison because he pleaded guilty.

Tags San Pedro Michelle Arana