Over the weekend, a series of highway accidents led to the tragic deaths of three people, with one of the victims identified as 22-year-old Melanie Cal. The fatal incident occurred early Friday morning on the main road in the village of Maya Mopan, Stann Creek District.
Cal, a mother of one, was traveling in a Nissan double cab van driven by 27-year-old Trisha Choc. According to reports, Choc lost control of the vehicle, which then overturned several times before coming to rest on the side of the road. Cal was ejected from the truck and pronounced dead at the scene.
The other occupants of the truck, including Choc, 22-year-old Jocelyn Sanchez and 16-year-old Sandra Coc, were taken to Southern Regional Hospital for medical treatment. Their conditions have not been released, but they appear to have been injured in the collision.
Raymundo Peck, the Alcalde of the village of Maya Mopan, expressed his deep sorrow for the loss. “It’s a situation that really pains me to talk about because the thing is, this young person is a very promising young lady and most of the villagers know her,” Peck said. “I know the family and I know that this family are very kind people and it’s a great loss to the community.”
Peck described the scene as heartbreaking, with Cal’s body lying on the ground, surrounded by grieving family members and villagers. The Alcalde expressed disappointment and confusion as to how such an incident could happen on what is considered a relatively simple stretch of road.
The group was on their way to Georgetown village on business when the accident happened. The incident has left the community in mourning and raised questions about road safety and the circumstances that led to the accident.