By Breaking Belize News Staff: A 45-year-old IT manager has been fined a total of $700, plus court costs, and disqualified from driving for one year after pleading guilty to reckless driving and failure to provide a specimen.
Lee Liu, a resident of Sandhill, appeared before Senior Magistrate Mannon Dennison in the Belize City Magistrate’s Court on Friday, where he pleaded guilty to both traffic offences.
The charges stemmed from an incident around 5:10 a.m. on Thursday, September 17, when police officers conducting a checkpoint on the Philip Goldson Highway reportedly noticed a white car swerving across the highway.
A police constable signalled the driver to stop and, according to the prosecution’s facts, observed that Liu appeared intoxicated, had difficulty standing and was speaking with slurred speech. Police said Liu admitted that he had been drinking, telling the officer, “Yes, but I just want to go home.”
Liu was taken to a police station and initially agreed to provide a urine specimen for alcohol analysis. Police alleged that when the time came to provide the sample, however, Liu refused, saying he no longer wanted to give it.
In court, Liu explained that he had been driving around potholes on the highway, which he said accounted for the manner in which he was driving. Regarding the urine sample, he told the court that he did not feel the need to urinate at the time.
He was fined $500 plus $5 court costs for failure to provide a specimen, payable by November 30, 2026, or three months’ imprisonment in default. For reckless driving, Liu was fined $200 plus $5 court costs, payable by October 31, 2026, or two months’ imprisonment in default.
Liu was also disqualified from driving for one year, effective September 18, 2026. Belize’s Motor Vehicles and Road Traffic Act provides that a person who, without reasonable excuse, fails to provide a required blood or urine specimen commits an offence and, upon conviction, is subject to a 12-month disqualification from holding or obtaining a Belize driving licence.
When ordered to surrender his driver’s licence, Liu told the court that he did not have it with him and believed he had misplaced it at home. Senior Magistrate Dennison ordered him to surrender the licence at the Sandhill Police Station by 5:00 p.m. Friday.
He may apply in writing after 90 days seeking to have his driving privileges reinstated.
The post Man’s drivers license disqualified for 1 year; fined $700 for reckless driving and failing to provide urine sample – Says he didn’t have to pee at the time appeared first on Belize News and Opinion on www.breakingbelizenews.com.
By Breaking Belize News Staff: A 45-year-old IT manager has been fined a total of $700, plus court costs, and disqualified from driving for one year after pleading guilty to reckless driving and failure to provide a specimen. Lee Liu, a resident of Sandhill, appeared before Senior Magistrate Mannon Dennison in the Belize City Magistrate’s
The post Man’s drivers license disqualified for 1 year; fined $700 for reckless driving and failing to provide urine sample – Says he didn’t have to pee at the time appeared first on Belize News and Opinion on www.breakingbelizenews.com.