Four people were killed in another major traffic accident on the Northern Highway last night. This one occurred 10 miles east of Thursday’s crash - at the Rhaburn Ridge Curve at mile 40. Three of the Acosta sisters from Cristo Rey Village and their brother Jose are dead and five other family members were hurt – two of them still critical. The Acosta family left Cristo Rey enroute to Belmopan sometime after 5 pm but ten miles outside of Orange Walk – there was an Easter tragedy. Keith Swift has the story.

Keith Swift Reporting,
It was a dramatic scene of bodies and possessions strewn across the northern highway just after dusk last night. The driver of this Mitsubishi pickup loaded with his family – lost control and the vehicle flipped. A witness who wished to remain anonymous saw the accident and was the first on the scene.

Voice of Witness,
“We noticed a vehicle swerve on the side of the road going to the right and when the vehicle swerved on the right we saw the vehicle pull in again but we didn’t know what went on. I am telling you we saw it from a distance. When we got to the scene we saw a Mitsubishi L200, red and silver, parked in the middle of the road, which had overturned several times on the middle of the highway.”

Orange Walk Police responded at 6 pm.

Supt. Joseph Myvette, OIC - Orange Walk Police
“Shortly after 6 pm police responded to a report of a traffic accident just after mile 40 on the Northern Highway where upon arrival a red and grey Mitsubishi pickup was seen on the highway. Inside the pickup truck was the body of a male person apparently dead. Two other females were seen lying on the side of the highway on the right hand side of the highway who also were apparently dead.

Upon checking the scene of the accident, we observed that several persons were also injured. One person was transported to the Northern Regional Hospital in a critical condition who later succumbed to her injuries. Five other persons were injured and are now taking treatment at the Northern Regional Hospital.”

Voice of Witness,
“The driver was already dead, he had a cranial damage to his left side of his lobe and then we also realized that we had several bodies spread on a large area of the highway. So after we arrived, we tried to assist anyway we could to all the persons that got hurt.”

Jose Acosta was the driver and he died on the spot. His sister Maria and Victoria also died on the scene. Fania – a third sister died at the hospital. So in total, that’s three sisters and a brother killed in one accident. Still hospitalized are five other family members – including this girl – 17 year old Zaida Acosta – a niece of the victims.

Today the flag at the San Pedro Government School flew at half mast in remembrance of Victoria Acosta who taught at the school for 9 years. For those in this community – they didn’t lose four villagers – they lost four friends.

Baltazar Chan, Teacher
“I couldn’t believe it because just Friday we worked together at the school and we said farewell goodbye and happy Easter and when I received the news this morning, I just couldn’t believe it. Every class she teaches, she gives her 100% in class. She has been a very dedicated teacher. She has pushed in every class that she has been given to do her very best.”

Abner Bobadilla, Principal
“She had been here actually for the past 9 to 10 years, she had been teaching infant one.”

Keith Swift,
What type of teacher was she?

Abner Bobadilla,
“Well actually Miss Acosta, as I usually refer to her, she was a very dedicated teacher, her love was for the children. She would give her full attention to the children and now everything she did was for the children in her class so she was a very dedicated, hardworking, and respectful person.

I have been around the community this morning and some people can’t believe what happened. So it is surprising for them and it is really a tragedy that we don’t expect anything to happen like this so it is a very sad moment, especially for the family. My sympathy to the family and the village and the community is trying to cope.”

Valerio Cob, Friend of Deceased
“We know them from years back. She used to teach for more than ten years I think. She taught my small daughter. I got another daughter she taught too and she is a very good teacher.”

Keith Swift,
What was your reaction when you heard about the accident?

Valerio Cob,
“Sad because my children began to cry because we didn’t know until this morning and when we got the notice, all of us were sad and they began to cry and I get sad too.”

Sad – but was it preventable? Supt. Myvette says he isn’t sure if speeding was a factor – but the highway patrol had pulled over the pick up minutes before the crash.

Supt. Joseph Myvette,
“The driver was checked some ten minutes prior to the accident by the highway patrol. Whilst being checked, everything was in order. So obviously speeding could have been a factor but that is left to be determined by the investigation.

I do not want to say that but what I know for certain is that during these times the highway is very hot and I want to advise drivers to certainly examine their tires whilst travelling and also to travel within the speed limit.”

We note that all four of the Acosta’s killed were teachers. In fact – they were heading to Maria Acosta’s home in Belmopan since she had left her teaching temporarily to attend classes at UB. The other family members travelling with them were Annie Acosta – who married Jose in February. She is still hospitalized 17 year old Zeidy and 15 year old Joyce Acosta – were also injured and are still listed as critical. Epiphania’s son 11 year old Miguel and 9 year old Daniesha Acosta were also hurt but received minor injuries and their condition was listed as stable.

Last night fatalities make it seven people killed in Orange Walk in less than a week. In 2008, there were a total of only 7 fatal traffic accidents in Orange Walk for the entire year.