This evening, less than an hour before the start of our evening news, Elrington granted us an interview, and he was harshly critical of the police spokesperson. Here's how Elrington claimed that ASP Fitzroy Yearwood provided erroneous information to the public:
Daniel Ortiz
"It has been suggested that the accident in which you are involved happened because you made an illegal turn."
Orson "OJ" Elrington - Attorney/Politician Involved In Accident
"When you're a public figure, of course, you know, these things are of interest to the public, and rightfully so. There are benefits and there are downsides to being a public figure. But really and truly, I initially thought it not to be anything significant. It's a fender bender. I was tremendously disappointed in the statements made by Mr. Fitzroy Yearwood today. You know, I've heard him on multiple occasions, comport himself in a very professional manner in dealing with this, in dealing with an ongoing investigation in the Belize Police Department. I've commended him on that. The fact that if an investigation is ongoing, as the person who is the voice of the Belize Police Department, he should not offer any commentary on the purported facts of
whatever incident. And he has done so in the past simply saying, yes, I can confirm that charges have been levied or not. I cannot comment on it because it is an ongoing investigation, or it is a matter before the court. So first and foremost, Mr. Yearwood, in his interview, said that I have been charged with yes, indeed, charge with driving without insurance. But he also claimed to have been charged for driving with care and attention. That is completely and utterly false. I have no such charge before me. So the things which are within his knowledge, he could not relay accurately, much less the things which are not within his knowledge, which he completely misled the public in what actually happened. But what he did say, which was important and I find very telling, is that he himself said that where he saw the vehicles was far away from the median ramp."
So, did Elrington make an illegal turn and cross the Ambulance ramp? And how much did that decision contribute to the accident? Well, we challenged Elrington on that and he kept insisting that it was not the primary cause. Here's how he defended that point to our Daniel Ortiz:
Orson "OJ" Elrington - Attorney/Politician Involved In Accident
"What caused the accident was a person who was driving and was not paying attention. That is it. As it was indicated, I was practically parked. I was going less than five miles per hour. You know, I have my daughter. She's eight years old. Her name is Xaiya. This weekend, she asked me about the accident, and then she said, 'But Daddy, if the back of your vehicle is damaged on the front of the other person's vehicle is damaged, how is it then that you can run up into that vehicle?' She said after a while - and she was investigating, investigating, and asking me questions, and she said, 'You know what? Anybody who believes that story is foolish.' So I will comport and to say my eight-year-old daughter can take sense from nonsense."
Daniel Ortiz
"From what I could observe, The only damage your vehicle experienced was the right light -."
Orson "OJ" Elrington
"Correct."
Daniel Ortiz
"And most of the damage seems to be focused on the very edge of the right side of your vehicle -."
Orson "OJ" Elrington
"Correct."
Daniel Ortiz
"So it's not necessarily a full rear end, as you're trying to suggest."
Orson "OJ" Elrington
"No, It was not. It was not it was most certainly not a full rear end, Daniel. Indeed, as I said, I was parking. And so when you're parking, as you know, you have to turn in. There are only two ways to park. You turn in, or you parallel park."
Daniel Ortiz
"While it may not have been -."
Orson "OJ" Elrington
"…the cause of the accident."
Daniel Ortiz
"It contributed to it. That is the suggestion. I am trying to find out."
Orson "OJ" Elrington
"It did not contribute whatsoever. But you never asked that question, Daniel."
Daniel Ortiz
"I've asked it multiple times, sir."
Orson "OJ" Elrington
"You never asked that question."
Daniel Ortiz
"OK, fine. I'll ask it. Did you cross that ambulance ramp, sir? I feel like I've asked it."
Orson "OJ" Elrington
"Yes, I've said that. But, I think I've said that in every instance. I've said it at every single - I said that that is something that I did. I did cross the ambulance ramp. However, that was not the cause of the accident. If you want to say indeed, it might have been a wrong decision at that point and time, but that did not cause the accident. That had absolutely nothing to do with the accident."
Elrington refused to sign the acknowledgment the police provided on their official report and the criminal charge he is facing. He said he did that because the details and the sketch plan produced by the police were not accurate and would have been prejudicial to his case. He added that if he is at fault for crossing the ambulance ramp, the only penalty for that is a traffic ticket.