By Breaking Belize News Staff: A 43-year-old BATSUB technician has been ordered to pay $5,040 in fines forthwith and $2,000 in compensation after pleading guilty to a drunken hit-and-run that left a police sergeant and his common-law wife injured on Saturday night in Ladyville.
Deniro Sutherland appeared unrepresented before the Chief Magistrate in Court #1 on Monday morning, where he pleaded guilty to eight traffic offenses stemming from the January 31 accident at Mile 8½ on the Philip Goldson Highway, near the Ladyville Supermarket.
The charges included driving without due care and attention, driving with alcohol concentration above the prescribed limit, failure to report an accident, driving without a valid driver’s license, driving an unlicensed vehicle, failing to stop and render aid, and two counts of negligent wounding.
One additional charge for failing to display a license sticker was dismissed after the prosecutor noted the vehicle was already unlicensed.
The court heard that Sutherland, while intoxicated, made a left turn into the path of a motorcycle ridden by Sergeant Hilberto Ruiz, 39, of San Jose Palma Village, who was traveling with his common-law wife, Maria Tzul, 43. The collision caused both to fall onto the pavement. Tzul sustained injuries to her left foot, while Ruiz complained of pain to his left shoulder.
Police reported that Sutherland fled the scene and did not report the accident or render assistance. He was later identified by Sgt. Ruiz when he drove into the supermarket parking lot shortly after the incident. Officers noted a strong smell of alcohol on Sutherland’s breath, and he was unable to produce vehicle documents.
In court, Sutherland told the magistrate he “was not aware he had hit anyone.”
The Chief Magistrate cited several aggravating factors, including the fact that Sutherland was intoxicated, fled the scene, and had recently appeared in court in December 2025 on similar traffic matters. Court records showed this was his third offense for driving an unlicensed vehicle and that he had prior convictions, including failing to provide a specimen in 2017 and pleading guilty in December 2025 to driving without third-party insurance and driving an unlicensed vehicle.
For his guilty pleas, Sutherland received non-custodial fines totaling $5,040, which must be paid by 3:30 p.m. today, in default of imprisonment. He was also disqualified from driving for one year and ordered to pay $1,000 each to Sgt. Ruiz and Tzul in compensation.
Upon hearing the amount, Sutherland told the court, “I have no kind ah money right now,” and asked for time to secure a loan. The court, however, ordered the fines to be paid forthwith, noting the seriousness of the offenses and his prior record.
Both victims were issued medico-legal forms and survived the ordeal.
The post Deniro Sutherland fined $5,040 after drunken hit-and-run injures police sergeant and partner appeared first on Belize News and Opinion on www.breakingbelizenews.com.
By Breaking Belize News Staff: A 43-year-old BATSUB technician has been ordered to pay $5,040 in fines forthwith and $2,000 in compensation after pleading guilty to a drunken hit-and-run that left a police sergeant and his common-law wife injured on Saturday night in Ladyville. Deniro Sutherland appeared unrepresented before the Chief Magistrate in Court #1
The post Deniro Sutherland fined $5,040 after drunken hit-and-run injures police sergeant and partner appeared first on Belize News and Opinion on www.breakingbelizenews.com.
