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There was an accident last night at mile three and half on the northern highway. It’s become a notorious stretch of roadway, poorly lit, full of cars and trucks driving at high speeds –often across three lanes – while many of them are turning off and unto the road from the adjoining communities. Add in bicycle traffic and you’ve got a recipe for disaster. Since June there have been three fatalities between mile three and the Haulover Bridge. Last night’s accident, fortunately was not fatal – but it was serious.

Jacqueline Godwin Reporting,
This was the scene at mile three and a half last night at 8:00 on the Northern Highway. A four door pickup and flatbed truck had collided. Today I sat down with the driver of the pickup Father Oliver Smalls while he was at Belize Medical Associates where he had spent the overnight under observation. Father Smalls says he had just finished doing service around 7:30 at The Divine Mercy Church and was heading home when the accident occurred.

Father Oliver Smalls, Accident Victim
“Well I think it was a miracle and perhaps because I had just celebrated mass and was on my way home God was smiling upon me or looking upon me.”

Jacqueline Godwin,
“What exactly happened or what do you remember happened?”

Father Oliver Smalls,
“Well at 7:30 I left Divine Mercy Church heading north on the Northern Highway back to Ladyville and I didn’t know there was a flatbed truck in the middle of the road, there were no lights, no reflectors, or nothing and when I realized the truck was there, I was right upon the truck. I felt the vehicle hit that truck and I saw the windshield going into a thousand pieces and the next thing I know is the truck was just standing there and I felt blood coming from my forehead and someone said 911 and I picked up my cell phone and called 911 and the next thing I knew is that BERT was there giving me a temporary first aid and the next thing I know is that I was in the ambulance heading towards the hospital.”

Father Smalls’ pickup was extensively damaged to the front. According to the driver of the flatbed truck he had on all the vehicle’s indicators and he saw no vehicle coming and reversed onto the highway.

Driver of flatbed truck,
“I was reversing from the gate. I had turned on all my indicators and i saw no vehicle coming. I was alert. Three cars had stopped so that I can manoeuvre. Maybe the other car was not paying attention. He was not going fast but he overtook two vehicles that were parked and he came straight into me.”

But according to Father Smalls the flatbed truck had no reflectors and the area was dark and he did not see the vehicle until it was too late. He believes the driver should have been more careful.

Father Oliver Smalls,
“Well I think when you travel the Northern Highway you have to drive a little bit slower than usual and be prepare for the unexpected on the highway.”

Father Oliver Smalls says he will not press charges but hopes the other vehicle had insurance to pay for the damages. Reporting for 7news Jacqueline Godwin.