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Tonight Cherisse Halsall tells you about the woman and artistan whose loss is being mourned all over the country.

This was the terrible scene near the intersection of Belmopan's Mariposa Avenue and Hummingbird Highway yesterday morning where 51-year-old Kimberley Griffith and 40-year-old Elmar Avila lost their lives.

They were in this grey SUV that was hit by the red car in the background that was left turning off the highway into Mariposa Avenue. That sent the SUV barreling into a ditch on the side of the road, crushing the driver, Elmar Avila and launching his passenger Kimberley Griffith out of the vehicle.

ASP Fitzroy Yearwood - Communications Officer
"It's a broadside, on the front portion of the vehicle. It would want to suggest that the vehicle was hit on the driver's side, the forerunner, by the Honda Civic car. So, we would refer to that as broadsided. While it's not direct, head-on contact, it caused enough damage because it hit the front portion of the vehicle causing it to lose control."

"Inside the car was the motionless body of a dark-complexioned male, and beneath the vehicle was the body of a female apparently still alive. That person was rushed to the Western Regional Hospital where the identity was learned to be Kimberly Griffith, a 51-year designer of 4th Avenue, Corozal Town. I know that investigators gathered that this vehicle was traveling in the direction as if heading toward Dangriga Town. They had 2 other occupants in that vehicle with her, Jaqueline Martinez, and Elias Castillo, 45 years old, a tour guide. Both Jacqueline and Elias were taken to the hospital. We know that Miss Griffith died a few minutes later while receiving treatment. Elmar Avila, 40 years Belizean of Monument Site Dangriga, was removed from that vehicle."

He was pronounced dead also at the Western Regional Hospital.

Clifford King was called to the scene by one of the survivors:

Clifford King, Friend
"I rushed over to see what was happening with my friend and that is when I realised they needed help and I went to the scene to try and safeguard their personal belongings. And unfortunately or fortunately, the police asked me to witness their work as a third party so I basically did that and I recognized that it was a totally unfortunate situation."

"They are from Corozal and they were just getting a ride back from these guys, as Jacklyn indicated to me. I believe one of the guys, the driver if I'm not mistaken, is her family or family friend of hers and they were just getting a ride back. Normally they would be on the bus."

"It's just so sad that after what you think would have been a very good weekend and you'd come back safe to your family, these are the things that happened."

The Cops say that arresting officers obtained a sample from the driver who appeared highly intoxicated.

ASP Fitzroy Yearwood - Communications Officer
"The car was driven at the time by Armando Pastrona."

Reporter
"We have credible reports that alcohol may have played some role in this particular fatal RTA, either by one of the drivers. Can you confirm?"

ASP Fitzroy Yearwood
"Witnesses mentioned that to the police the driver of the car that may have caused the initial contact between both vehicles appeared to be highly intoxicated out there to officers. He is presently detained, and they did obtain his sample."

Elmar's family is still too broken up to comment but today there was no shortage of kind words shared about Kimberley Griffith, like those of her fellow artist and friend, Alex Sanker.

Alex Sanker, Artist
"I turned to my girlfriend and said you see this is what I always tell you, you gotta live everyday like it's the last, there's no guarantee stop making plans about where your going to vacation next year, if you can do it do it now. But she was a dear friend tho and the way she died that's the thing, because it's an accident I know she had head injuries, internal bleeding and stuff like that, and I understand that she didn't have her seat belt on so, it's just one of those things like I always call her my sister from another mother even my post that I put up but it's sad mein, she will be remembered, I just saw a committee that does art in the park in Corozal just put up some really vibrant picture with her and i'm trying to process that to remember her in that light right. Where she loved what she did and at the end of the day it's just sad mein because I know if I'm not mistaken her daughter had just moved away to the states like a month ago, so I had death in my family with my brother that died sudden so everything right now it's like live life for today because tomorrow we have no idea what's going to happen."

And it seems that's how Kimberley lived too seizing every moment, and this morning politician Edmond Castro told 7News that what he'll never forget is her fantastic smile.

Edmond Castro
"I met Kim approximately 15 years ago at a UDP rally back then and ever since I met her she, when she walked in an audience or group she always lit up, with her beautiful smile."

And by 8:00 this morning there was yet another fatal accident, this one in Stann Creek's San Isidoro village. It happened between miles 45 and 46 on the Southern highway where a 25-year-old Honduran laborer was knocked down and run over by a Blue Bird bus that was en route to Punta Gorda. The Driver of that bus, 31-year-old George Cayetano, has been issued with a notice of intended prosecution.