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Four days after he knocked down and killed 2 people, one of them a 2 year old girl, Orange Walk Town Mayor Ravell Gonzalez was charged. The Mayor, who has made no public statement since the tragic accident, was arraigned in Belize City’s Magistrate’s Court this morning. The accident occurred around 6:45 on Sunday when Gonzalez’s minivan crashed into a bicycle Manuel Coto was riding with 2 year old Markita Lopez-Garcia on the handle. It happened between miles 35 and 36 on the Northern Highway. He hit them from behind and Coto died on the scene. Markita Lopez-Garcia died on her way to the Northern Regional Hospital.

And today, 4 days after the accident that police formally charged the Mayor with causing death by careless conduct, not manslaughter by negligence. Officer in Charge of Ladyville Police Inspector Calbert Flowers says that on the advice of the DPP, they didn’t charge Mayor Gonzalez for manslaughter by negligence because the evidence doesn’t support it.

Insp. Calbert Flowers, O.C. – Ladyville Police
“Advice was given to us from the Director of Public Prosecutions that the circumstances surrounding this incident do not amount to the charge of manslaughter by negligence. And I can refer you to the case of police versus Cardinal Smith in 2005 I believe and he was convicted of manslaughter by negligence and the Court of Appeal overturned that conviction.”

Keith Swift,
So it wouldn’t have held up in court?

Insp. Calbert Flowers,
“It wouldn’t have held up in court under the circumstances. The investigation is still ongoing. We are awaiting results form the forensic lab of urine samples to see if other charges will be levied against Mr. Gonzalez.”

Keith Swift,
So him being charged only with causing death by careless conduct has nothing to with the fact that he is a Mayor?

Insp. Calbert Flowers,
“No not at all.”

Keith Swift,
So it is a now general rule not to charge drivers with manslaughter by negligence because in most cases when there is an accident like this the person is automatically charged with manslaughter by negligence?

Insp. Calbert Flowers,
“Yes but like I said we learnt from our mistakes and changed it. We normally arrest and charge also for driving with alcohol consumption above the prescribed limit. However we’ve moved into a new era now. We are waiting for the results to come back before we decide to arrest and charge for that offense.”

Mayor Gonzalez was offered bail of $6,000 plus one surety. But his attorney Tricia Pitts asked Senior Magistrate Dorothy Flowers to split the bail since the Mayor has been cooperating with police. Flowers allowed him two sureties of $3,000 each. His case was adjourned to July 28th. The media waited to speak with Gonzalez outside near his Mayor’s vehicle, but he dodged us, slipped through the side door of the court and left in a private truck.