The song “Home on the Range” is the state song of the state of Kansas in the United states, and it famously pleads, “Give me a home where the buffalo roam...” But we’re not in Kansas, yet, still, two Orange Walk men who have crashed into, or been rammed by Buffalos on the highway say it is an urgent traffic hazard. Omar Rivera and Francisco Alcoser came to our studios today to tell us that it is a major highway hazard between the Tower Hill Sugar Factory and the Caribbean Tires roundabout. They explained to us that Buffalo are being reared as livestock on the nearby Rancho Luna. But it seems that from time to time, the Buffalo which are a type of cattle, slip out of their corral – or are herded out - and these two men told us what happened to them when their vehicles met over a thousand pounds of buffalo meat.
Francisco Alcoser, Ran Into Buffalo
“I was coming from Tower Hill and when I was coming from Tower Hill right at BELCOGEN I just saw a buffalo just crossed the street and the only
thing I could have done was let go my avs and I felt the impact from the buffalo. And when the van stopped I opened the door from the van and when I looked at the back I saw a whole herd of buffaloes crossing from the left side of the street to the right side of the street and way at the back were the two cowboys who I know as Dave and Geraldo who work for Rancho Luna.”
Jules Vasquez,
“How significant were the damages?”
Francisco Alcoser,
“It was bad. I am just glad I am still here because I could have lost my life in that accident.”
Jules Vasquez,
“Now your accident when?”
Omar Rivera, Ran Into Buffalo
“It happened Sunday 7:20 while coming in from Belize City. I was coming
as normal, 55 to 60 when suddenly felt something come right into my vehicle. I couldn’t put no brakes because I would have flipped and the entire windshield and everything got damaged. I got minor damage and I am still suffering headaches because my head was banged into the steering and I don’t remember nothing else until I was already in the hospital, someone took me there and I understand from the statement I gave to the officers that I am the ninth person, about this same incident, I guess my brother in law was the eight person. I really want the authorities to do something about this. Maybe they want someone to die in that same stretch before they put signs or something about it.”
Alcoser, who was hit months ago – says he did not receive compensation and had to repair the damages to his van out of his own money. Rivera, says he will have to do the same. Both men have taken out civil suits against the owner of the buffalo. Despite numerous attempts to reach Rancho Luna at its listed number we were unsuccessful.
The officer in charge of Orange Walk, Superintendent Joseph Myvett says to his knowledge there have been a couple of accidents with buffalo, but he could not recall nine of them. He says it definitely is a traffic hazard and the Police Department has spoken with the owners and urged them to tighten controls to avoid recurrences – which is no consolation at all for Rivera who had his accident on Sunday night.
