7 News Belize

BAHA Truck Hits Couple On Cycle
posted (January 16, 2012)
There was a traffic accident this afternoon on the western highway that has left 2 people hospitalized. It happened near mile 38 - in St Matthew's village. It involved a Belize Agricultural Health Authority pickup truck and a motorcycle - both of them apparently unlicensed.

As you might expect, the persons on the motorbike got the worst of it. 7news traveled west to find out more.

George Haylock - Accident Victim
"While coming from mile 36 to mile 37, St. Matthews Village, one lane from the school, I saw a green Isuzu pick-up truck in my mirror. I went back, and I saw that the vehicle was far behind, but I didn't know that it was coming with a lot of speed, that was when it knocked me off the road."

Monica Bodden reporting
The pick-up truck that knocked down 21 year old George Haylock and his girlfriend 19 year old Maria Artonio belonged to the Belize Agricultural Health Authority.

The incident happened in St Matthews's village around midday.

Haylock and Artonio were traveling on a motorcycle in the direction of Belmopan, and upon making a left turn into this lane from off the highway, the pick-up truck which was traveling behind them attempted to overtake.

George Haylock
"At the lane I made a left turn and I went in, and the vehicle [came] with too much speed; it beeped its horn once, and then I heard bang! The cycle flipped."

Monica Bodden
"You were on your cycle with your girlfriend right?"

George Haylock
"Yes."

Monica Bodden
"At that time, what happened? You fell off? she fell off?"

George Haylock
"She fell off first then afterwards me. I was trying to balance the cycle, but I couldn't, and that's when I lost control."

The BAHA truck stopped - but according to Haylock - none of the 3 men that were travelling in the truck at the time helped to assist either him or his girlfriend as they lay on the highway.

He said - on his injured leg- he had to lift his unconscious girlfriend who had suffered head injuries - into the BAHA pick-up truck - so she could have been taken away to the hospital.

Monica Bodden
"Her injuries seem a lot worse. I think she received head injuries. On the scene was she complaining of anything? Was she unconscious?"

George Haylock
"She was unconscious. I grabbed her in my arms and I shook her up to make her recover. There were two male persons in the truck. I was terribly hurt, and I had to pick up my girl and put her in the vehicle."

Monica Bodden
"No one helped or assisted you from the vehicle to help put your girlfriend inside the truck?"

George Haylock
"No, I was on my own."

Monica Bodden
"They volunteered to take you guys to the hospital?"

George Haylock
"They brought us here."

Haylock received injuries to his left arm and right leg. According to doctors they are no broken bones, and he might be released from the hospital as early as this evening.

But for his girlfriend Maria, she is admitted in the emergency ward and hooked up on drips under heavy observation after receiving severe head and body injuries.

The couple lives in St Matthews's village. Haylock and many of the villagers believe that it was the driver of the BAHA pick-up truck's fault. They claim the accident could have been avoided if he wasn't speeding through a village.

Monica Bodden
"Do you think that the vehicle was at fault? After all it is a village, and there are speed limits. You think the driver broke those speed limits?"

George Haylock
"He broke the speed limit, he was coming too fast."

Monica Bodden
"Would you say like how many miles per hour? You'd say over 60mph?"

George Haylock
"Over 60, about 60-65mph."

The couple was knocked down just a couple yards away from the village primary school - where villagers say a pedestrian crossing is a necessity.

Police have taken statements from both drivers. According to one villager while observing the BAHA pick-up truck he noticed that the vehicle was not licensed. He alleges that its license had been up since September 2011. He brought it to the attention of a BAHA manager who was at the hospital. Also, we understand it, the motorcycle- driven by Haylock at the time - was neither licensed nor insured.

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