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Four females were injured in an accident this morning on the Western Highway. 22 year old Tanisha Stevens was driving to Hattieville along with Shareema Romero, Nicole Cadle, and Jacklyn Audinett when a cargo truck loaded with lumber attempted to overtake another vehicle. To avoid a collision she swerved off the road and chaos ensued. Keith Swift has the details.

Keith Swift Reporting,
This is the Chevy Blazer the four girls were travelling in. At around 11 this morning it ran off the road and flipped numerous times – landing with its four wheels in the air at Mile 14 and a half on the Western Highway. Tanisha Stevens was driving and from her hospital bed - she told us about the frightening few seconds.

Tanisha Stevens, Driver of Chevy
“We were driving towards Hattieville. Upon reaching the curve just before the Hattieville roundabout there were two dump trucks on both sides of the road and we were going to go into a head on collision with the dump truck but I swerved to the side of the street and went back onto the road and the vehicle lost control and started to flip. I went unconscious for a little while and when I woke up I realized what happened.”

Keith Swift,
Have you thought what might have happened if you hadn’t swerved to avoid running into the dump truck?

Tanisha Stevens,
“I don’t know if I would be alive right now. I don’t know because it was head on so I don’t know if we would be alive right now.”

Zied Juan lives in the area and saw the red Blazer flipped as many as 5 times – crushing the entire front portion.

Zied Juan, Witness
“I was out here in the yard, relaxing after lawn mowing the yard. I heard the noise of a vehicle swerving on the road and then I saw the flipping over. But before that I saw the truck overtaking the 18 wheeler. I just ran out of the yard and came running and started to give assistance to whoever it was. I saw four girls in the vehicle crying out for help and I tried to assist.

I took out one of them with a bad cut to the head. I finally managed to get her out and three others were in there trying to get out. I called 911 instantly and they came in about 5 minutes after the accident happened and we all took out the other girls. I called the ambulance and they arrived in about 15 minutes and they finally put the girls in the ambulance and two of them received minor injuries but were badly hurt. One of them is badly injured in her head, the one I took out. She has a cut to her head and the other one who was on the passenger side was unconscious at the moment.”

This is the cargo truck which witnesses say caused the accident. The driver fled but he was caught at the mile 4 checkpoint. Officer in Charge of Ladyville Police Inspector Calbert Flowers says the driver has been detained.

Insp. Calbert Flowers, Ladyville Police
“Our investigation so far revealed that this Blazer was travelling from the direction of Belize City towards Hattieville. There was a line of oncoming traffic and a truck was attempting to overtake another truck in the line of traffic and he swerved into the lane of this vehicle which was heading in the opposite direction and the female apparently lost control of the vehicle, because of the other vehicle coming in the other direction.”

Keith Swift,
Have you found that vehicle and the driver?

Insp. Calbert Flowers,
“Yes that vehicle was apprehended further down the road. The driver of that vehicle did not stop to render assistance, they just took off and they were apprehended.”

Keith Swift,
Will he be charged?

Insp. Calbert Flowers,
“Well the investigation is young, we will definitely interview them and we will investigate and if the evidence is there, if we feel they contributed to this accident then they will be arrested and charged.”

Jacklyn Audinett and Nicole Cadle were admitted to the KHMH and initially listed as critical. Tanisha Stevens was also admitted but was well enough to talk to us. Shareema Romero meanwhile was treated for an injury to the left hand and wasn’t admitted. At newstime the driver of the cargo truck had not been charged.