7 News Belize

16 Year Old Knocked Down, Family Attacks Driver
posted (March 25, 2019)
It's was a terrible weekend on Belize's roadways: 6 people died in 5 fatal accidents in different parts of the country.

We begin tonight with the youngest victimâ€Â¦.

A teenaged boy was knocked down and killed in front of his mother's house. It happened around 6:00 on Saturday night between miles 20 and 21 on the Southern Highway. Jose Alex Marquez had just left from visiting his mom and was heading to his home in the Mayan King farm area when a vehicle struck him from behind. Marquez was flung about 20 feet and died immediately. The family says it would have been a hit and run if it wasn't for the drivers busted tire and Marquez's sister who ran him down and blocked him from leaving. We spoke to Marquez's brother in law about the tragedy.

Jose Marin, Brother-in-law
"He came to see his mother Saturday evening. he was going home again, because he is living at Mayan King. He was working in the farm, so the boss gave him a house in Mayan King. He was going back again when the car was coming behind him. His mom doesn't live far from where the accident happened. His mom was at home when the accident happened. When she heard the big noise she hurriedly called her daughter. As her daughter heard the noise she hurriedly went to see what had happened with the bicycle. She didn't see her brother, she only saw the car barely moving, because the tyre got punctured. She saw the driver and ask where is her brother and the guy said that he never saw the brother. When she saw her brother, he was already dead. So she hurriedly was trying to catch the vehicle because they wanted to escape. She followed the vehicle at Santa Cruz and stood in front of it so that they couldn't go. From there, the driver went to the police station which is not far from there."

Reporter
"He was riding on the side of the road. He wasn't in the wrong?"

Jose Marin, Brother-in-law
"He was riding on the side of the road when the car just overtook him."

Reporter
"You have any idea what caused the accident? Was the driver of the vehicle not focusing? Was he drunk? What did police tell you all?"

Jose Marin, Brother-in-law
"I am not really sure, because this length is straight. The curve is a good distance. The guy never reached exactly to the curve. So I don't think he was not going to see him."

"It's very sad for me, because he is my brother-in-law. I got to know him when he was 7-8 years old. Most of his time he passes with me. He is 16 years old now. He was par of my family like my kid."

Marquez worked in the Mayan King farms and was the sole provider for his parents who are elderly.

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