Tonight, police from Orange Walk are looking into an assault and robbery attempt that has landed the would-be victim AND his supposed attackers at the Northern Regional Hospital.
Shortly before 9:30 p.m. last night, police from the quick response team responded to an area located at Mile 45 on the Philip Goldson Highway. That's where shots were heard, and when they arrived found a man on the ground who was suffering from gunshot wounds that were not life-threatening. He was later identified as 26-year-old Albert Crawford, a resident of Palmar Boundary Road.
The officers also found 29-year-old Omar Angel Avelar, a businessman from Belize City, who was suffering from an injury to the left side of his head.
Initial police investigation suggests that Avelar's vehicle had a flat tire, and so, he had to pull off the highway to address it. While he was trying to flat, he noticed a pickup truck that stopped in front of him. There were 4 occupants of that vehicle, and they reportedly jumped out and pretended to inquire what his distress was. While they were having a conversation, one of the men allegedly grabbed Avelar's 2 gold chains. Someone else grabbed his wheel spanner and clubbed him to the left side of the head with it.
Avelar told police that he feared for his life, and that's why he pulled out his licensed 9mm pistol and fired 8 shots at one of the men. 2 of the 4 supposed accomplices were detained in the nearby bushes, while the third one escaped.
But, while that's Avelar's written statement to police, the persons he's accusing of assault and robbery are challenging his claims as completely, made-up untruths. While his narrative casts him as the victim who was forced to shoot one of his attackers, they are accusing him of being the aggressor, and that the driver, who is a mechanic, really was trying to offer him help.
Today, our colleagues from CTV 3 News got a chance to speak with attorney Marcel Cardona, and Malcolm Witler, one of the men who escaped on foot after bullets started flying:
Marcel Cardona - Attorney
"The driver, says that they stopped because he is a mechanic. He works for a reputable company in Belize City. So, he saw somebody stranded on the road, and so, he said, okay, let me stop and see if we can render aid. So, they stopped. They went to check with him. He was apparently on his telephone. They noticed that the jack was all bent. They noticed that his fires were flat. They noticed that he only had one spare tire. So, when they realized all of these things, they said, you know, you'll have to get help from somebody else because we will still be unable to help you. If we help you with1, fixing one tire, you'll still be out another. So, we really can't help you. They started to walk away, both he and Crawford. As Medwood was walking away, he was heading back into the driver's seat of his vehicle. Behind him, he heard a tussle. So, when heard the tussle, he came out again check, and find out what was going on, what the tussle is about. That's when, according to him, he saw the virtual complainant taking like a step or 2 backward, pulling out a firearm, and started firing. Now, you will notice that that is very different from what the virtual complainant has deposed or told the police, the story he told police. Was there any robbery, as is alleged by Mr. Avelar? Did you guys attempt to rob Mr. Avelar, as he claims?"
Malcom Witler
"No sir, as I said, I don't know anything about that because I was sleeping."
The accused men say that several of them were asleep in the driver's vehicle and that they only got involved in the incident after Avelar came banging on the glass window with his weapon. There is also a counter-allegation that he was behaving in a sort of intoxicated manner. One of the detained men is a 15-year-old minor.
