On Saturday night, a blue Mazda pick up truck travelling along the San Victor Road collided with a white pick up parked on the side of the road. Several passengers in the Mazda were injured, and one, Carlos Carillas succumbed to his injuries, while a four year old boy who was sitting in the white pick up miraculously survived unharmed. Today our news team went out to San Victor to piece together what happened. Here's Alex Courtenay with that story...
Alex Courtenay reporting
Just before 8:00 on Saturday night, 24 year old Victor Noble was travelling along the San Victor road, when he ran out of gas. Noble, who was travelling with his four year old son and a female companion, pulled to the side of the road and turned on his hazard lights. Noble and the woman got out the vehicle to see if they could figure out what was wrong. As they stood up behind the truck, another pick up came up from behind them with speed, barely missing them and ramming into the back of the white truck, with Noble's son still inside.
Supt. SInquest Martinez - OC, Corozal Police
"In regards to the road traffic accident, officers of the Corozal Police detachment visited the San Victor/San Narciso Road where they saw a vehicle with 4 wheels up and a pickup truck totally damage. So far the investigation revealed that the Mazda [Tribute] was traveling on the San Victor/San Narciso Road was traveling towards San Narciso Village when it collided into the rear of the pickup, which had mechanical failure and that was parked on the right hand side of the road with his hazard lights on. When police responded they didn't know it was a fatal until they were told. When the police got there, they spoke to a police officer who was the driver of the white pickup truck, he told them what transpired and the victim was transported to the Corozal Community Hospital where he was pronounced dead on arrival."
Carlos Carillas, was in the passenger seat of the blue Mazda pick up when the accident happened. He had been living in Bella Vista Village in Stann Creek for the last few years after a falling with his father, and travelled up to Corozal to try and make amends and rekindle his relationship with his family.
Elder Carillas - Brother of the deceased
"He had arrived here at around here around 10:30 in the morning and came to see my dad, because to solve an issue they had around 12. Since then the family didn't see them until they got the call that the accident happened. He also wasn't a saint. I say that because probably people that knows him knows he gives trouble, but he was a year and half back on track and he had just come to visit my father for some issue that happened. He was already on that stage of changing and unfortunately he lost his life."
Noble's son, Xavi, was still in the vehicle when the violent collision occurred, but miraculously, he was virtually unharmed. The four-year-old managed to crawl out the pickup after only sustaining minor injuries to his face and back. San Victor is a known contraband hotspot, so now the police are looking at all angles to figure out how the driver of the Mazda could have not seen Noble's pickup.
Reporter
"Has the investigation led to believe that anybody involve in the accident was drinking or drunk?"
Supt. SInquest Martinez - OC, Corozal Police
"Well the investigation hasn't indicated that as yet, but we have the driver in custody as we speak."
Reporter
"We've also heard reports that the Mazda pickup might have been traveling with contraband. Can you confirm that?"
Supt. SInquest Martinez - OC, Corozal Police
"When the police got there, there was no goods in the pickup truck."
Notices of Intended Prosecution have been served to both drivers. The investigation is ongoing.
