PSU President Charged After Belmopan RTA

Questions are being raised over the police handling of a traffic accident that occurred on the Ring Road in Belmopan on the night of May first. One of the drivers involved, Cory Middleton, is now publicly alleging that officers gave him conflicting accounts about who was responsible for the crash and later pressured him to accept fault and settle the matter through insurance.

Middleton says he initially accepted information provided by investigators while recovering from injuries sustained in the collision but later sought a review after becoming concerned about the circumstances surrounding the case. He claims a senior police officer subsequently informed him that the other driver, PSU President Dean Flowers, was at fault based on measurements and evidence gathered at the scene. However, Middleton says the matter was later deemed inconclusive and both drivers were charged with traffic offenses. Flowers rejects Middleton’s version of events, maintaining that Middleton caused the collision through reckless speeding and overtaking and says the courts will ultimately determine responsibility. Middleton spoke publicly today, insisting he is seeking transparency and a fair legal process.

 

Cory Middleton, Driver 

“Because of the injuries I sustained, I was not able to, to the best conditions of immediately occurred and my recollections of events or detail was not complete. So the following day, I went to the police station with my mother and my girlfriend to provide a statement. During that process, I was given information regarding how the accident allegedly occurred. At this time, I accepted what was being told because I was coming from a police officer, and I believed the information being provided was accurate. So I proceeded to get in contact with their superintendent, their direct supervisor, and she– I told her what had happened. I told her the, the situation, and she said she would do an investigation. She proceeded to do an investigation, and then I got a call after the investigation was done. She explained to me what happened, who was at fault based from the measurements and whatever, um, evidence they took on the night of the accident. So she proceeded to tell me that I am not at fault and the other driver is at fault, which is Mr. Dean Flowers. Then the officer proceeded to tell me if I accept fault. I tell her no. Again, I cannot do that due to lack of information and both parties telling me two different things. One party said I am at fault. The other said that he’s at fault. I cannot just simply accept fault when my vehicle got all the damage and all the hit from whatever collision we were in and you expect me to accept fault. And then after that, he went back to Mr. Flowers. They had an exchange of conversation I could not hear because I was out, I was out of range and I proceeded to, to go to Mr. Flowers. I told him that I am not sure what the issue. I have nothing against you. No ill will, no bad intentions, but I simply can’t accept fault due to the lack of information because the night of the investigation they told me I was at fault. Then I had them do a re-investigation, they said that you were at fault, and I have everything on recording if you want to hear it afterward. So after I proceeded to in the court, we both pled not guilty.”

 

We reached out to PSU President Dean Flowers who said, “The young man ran into me and is not taking responsibility. He did file a report accepting responsibility then a few days after returned to the station to withdraw his statement, so the matter will proceed to court for the court to decide who was at fault. I’m just grateful no one was severely injured or died because of his reckless speeding and overtaking at an intersection.

 

Attention readers: This online newscast is a direct transcript of our evening television broadcast. When speakers use Kriol, we have carefully rendered their words using a standard spelling system.

 

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