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Wet road conditions, driving rain and bad tires may have contributed to a massive collision on the Western Highway this morning. It happened around 7:15 this morning between miles eight and nine as Hattieville resident Carolyn Rowland and her family of four were heading to Belize City – when they had a head on collision with an oncoming, heavy duty truck. Jacqueline Godwin found out more.

Jacqueline Godwin Reporting,
This is all that remains of the Ford Explorer that collided with this Dodge Ram pickup truck. The accident which occurred shortly after seven this morning between miles eight and nine on the Western Highway claimed the lives of Carolyn Rowland and her eight year old daughter Twyla Monique Jones. Rowland’s Ford Explorer crashed into the pickup truck driven at the time by Edward Martinez was travelling in the opposite direction towards Belmopan.

Rowland who is the single mother of four children had just left her home in Hattieville Village and was heading towards Belize City with her young family and a thirteen year old student who was getting a ride.

Delvorine Ellis, Mother/Grandmother of Deceased
“This morning I heard the phone ring and when I got up, ‘hello gran,’ and I said hello darling. I asked what was the matter, it said, ‘Gran we got caught in an accident by 8 miles and she said my mommy won’t wake up. I want my mommy to wake up,’ and she started shouting and I couldn’t take it anymore and I put down the phone. I know definitely something was wrong.”

When police arrived on the scene they found Carolyn Rowland’s lifeless body trapped behind the driver’s wheel. It is believed she died on impact. Eight year old Twyla Monique Jones who was reportedly seated in the rear of the vehicle was rushed to the KHMH but she too died. Fourteen year old Tyra Jones who was seated in the front passenger seat remains hospitalized at the KHMH along with her ten year old sister Toria Jones.

Thirteen year old Jaheed Ahmad who hitched a ride with Rowland and her children was critically injured. Ahmad who was sitting in the back of the Ford Explorer is on life support at the KHMH. As for the driver of the Dodge Ram pick up truck? Edward Martinez has also been hospitalized with serious injuries and because of his condition they have been unable to speak with him.

The tragic accident remains under investigation and at this time it is not known who is responsible for the crash. At the time it was reportedly raining heavily and it is believed that the bad weather may have contributed to the collision.

Up until the time of her untimely passing Carolyn Rowland worked during the day as a traffic warden in Belize City and in the night did domestic work at the Karl Heusner Memorial Hospital.

Delvorine Ellis,
“She is a hardworking person. In the night she worked at Karl Heusner and in the day she worked at Traffic and I will sadly miss my little granddaughter. Sometime if I want to send and buy something, she puts on her hands and say, ‘me gran,’ because she knows she has a little 50 cents or shilling to get from that. I will sadly miss her but I left everything in the Lord’s hands. I believe he doesn’t give anybody more than they can bear. So I am willing to stand strong.”

Equally sad is that only two months ago Carolyn Rowland’s common law husband and the father of her children died. Reporting for 7NEWS Jacqueline Godwin.

The driver of the dodge pickup, Martinez has multiple broken bones and his injuries are considered serious. He is the brother of Works Minister Anthony Boots Martinez.