7 News Belize

NICH Park Ranger Killed In Cruel Accident
posted (December 16, 2019)
Belizean roadways have seen a multitude of fatal accidents in the last month. And over the weekend, four more lives were lost.

And in one of the most horrific accident of the weekend, a man was run over not once, but twice, according to his family.

It happened on Saturday morning at around 12:30 on the Bullett Tree Road when 30-year-old Park Ranger Manuel Ye had an accident and Santos Navarro and an Uncle of his came to the aid of. That's when all three men became victims of a bizarre accident. Here's more:

Cherisse Halsall reporting
A father and husband was killed in an alleged hit and run on Friday night. Manuel Ye was headed home from San Ignacio on the Bullet Tree Road when he fell from his motorcycle. Before long a taxi driver and his uncle stopped to help him, but before they could leave the scene of Ye's minor accident, all three men were hit by another vehicle.

Ye got the worst of the impact and by Sunday he had succumbed to his injuries. Ye's wife is utterly devastated at his passing and told us how hard it is for their story to end this way.

Eroita Landero, Manuel Ye's Common-Law-Wife
"We've been together from since years ago. I can't tell you how much years because we've known each other since we were children and we have a pretty love story, I tell you. we have a pretty love story and it's hard to have it end like this."

"When I reached to the hospital I see my husband. I couldn't talk to him, he was incubated. They had him with oxygen, they had him with a chest tube. He was unconscious, but he was alive. I had hopes. They told me that they would send me to Belize City with him and I told them yes lets go - in an ambulance. We went and we reached Belize City. They did everything. He underwent a surgery on the morning at 11:30am. They say that his liver had an injury. He had 5 broken ribs, he had his large intestine damaged. His pubis was separated, his pelvis was fractured, he was suffering, but he manage - I know he was struggling because he was fighting for his life, because he wanted to be with me, with his kids. He loves his 3 month year old baby."

"We want justice to be served. I have 3 kids. I don't work. Myself, I am dedicated to my 3 kids. My husband told me that he wanted me to take care of his kids and he will work. He was building my house. We were starting a life and we had plans. We had many things to do and this is not fair."

Santos Najarro is the Taxi driver who attempted to help Ye. Najarro was involved in a collision two years ago and was well on his way to walking normally. The injuries he sustained on Friday night have dashed those hopes and exacerbated his old injuries. He spoke to us from his bed.

Santos Najarro, Accident Victim
"Well I saw the light coming and I shouted at my uncle to move, but my uncle when he turned his face to see I was shouting, the car just ran over the person who was sitting on the side of the pavement, hit my uncle on his back, threw him about 10-15 feet inside the grass and then crashed into me. I was stuck there and I realize what had happened. I shouted at my uncle and asked him if he was okay and he could have barely talk. He said yes and I ask him where is the person that was there. I don't know he said and then the person that was driving just came out of the car and told me 'you messed up my car, my car is value expensive and you parked at the wrong side.' I told him it's not me, there is a person underneath your car, please take him out and he didn't bother. He was angry and he went where my uncle was and tried to help my uncle. My uncle told him to leave him alone, I don't need so much help, help the person who is underneath the car. So he didn't bother again, he said that he will go call the police and I told him don't leave us, there is a person underneath. He went in his car and put reverse and ran over the person again."

And while the eyewitness and family members feel that the driver of the Prado deliberately ran over Ye a second-time Assistant Commissioner of Police Joseph Myvette told members of our News Team that police investigations are not showing that.

Reporter
"Is there any indication that there were in the road or were they on the shoulder of the road when they were hit by the Prado?"

ACP Joseph Myvette
"This is what we are trying to ascertain, but we know that we are gathering this information from both drivers."

Jules Vasquez
"We know that Mr. Ye's family we have heard that they feel it was a deliberate act, that somehow it was not an accident that they ran over Mr. Ye. Can you say anything about that?"

ACP Joseph Myvette
"At this point in time we do not see the investigation showing that. We will base with what is being investigated on the ground."

The indisputable fact is that the accident that killed Manuel Ye has left his young family without a much-loved father and provider. His sister-in-law and close friend expressed her frustration at the manner of his death and how unfair it was to those he leaves behind.

Edelmira Landero, Manuel Ye's Sister-In-Law
"I understand and was told about the scene and how he was found. They killed him in a brutal way, practically. Something that isn't human and all we are asking for is for justice. Those drivers that drives their cars like that are not supposed to be driving out there. It doesn't matter if he has economic status, they need to do something on this, because I have 3 nephews that he left behind and my sister. I have a nephew that is 3 months old that needed his father to be raise and he wanted his father to be with him as every child."

The driver of the white Prado returned to the scene after the accident in another vehicle, and handed himself over to police. However he refused to provide a urine sample and police are preparing charges against him.

Manuel Ye was a park ranger employed by the National Institute of Culture and History stationed at the Cahal Pech Archeological Reserve.

NICH released a statement noting that Ye was a cherished Ranger.

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