Police Investigate Fatal Crash Involving Truck Carrying House

Police are reviewing video footage as they investigate the collision that killed Police Sergeant Jovanni Ponce on the George Price Highway on Saturday night.

ACP Hilberto Romero said the crash happened between Miles 42 and 43. “Upon the arrival, they saw a truck that had a house on it on the right-hand side of the road; also seen was an SUV under the house,” Romero said.

Romero confirmed that the truck transporting the house had both a lead vehicle and a rear escort vehicle equipped with revolving lights. He also said these transports are permitted to travel at night between 9 p.m. and 5 a.m.

The Belize Home Movers Group expressed concern about the circumstances surrounding the crash, saying its members have consistently tried to avoid transporting houses on weekends because of the additional risks.

The group said it had worked with the Department of Transport to develop enhanced safety standards, including amber strobe lights on all four corners of a house and white floodlights illuminating its front face.

They also raised concerns that these measures may not have been followed in this case, while acknowledging that the investigation must establish the facts and cause of the collision.

Ponce was driving a white Chevrolet Equinox when it collided with the left corner of a zinc house being transported in the opposite direction on a white Ford F-350 flatbed truck driven by 58-year-old businessman Barry Espat of Belmopan.

Ponce’s wife, 61-year-old Innocenta Andrea Ponce, and an 11-year-old boy were also in the SUV. Both sustained minor injuries, according to Romero.