By Breaking Belize News Staff (HP): The police corporal in charge of the traffic branch at the Orange Walk Police Station is facing five charges, including driving under the influence, after a late-night head-on collision on the Philip Goldson Highway that left a woman injured, a woman identified in the police report as the Prime Minister’s cousin.
According to the Belize Police Department, the crash occurred on Thursday, July 9, 2026, at around 11:00 p.m., between miles 64 and 65 on the highway, on the outskirts of San Pablo Village, Orange Walk District.
Police report that 47-year-old Graciana Briceño Nah, an executive assistant of Orange Walk Town, was driving her Mitsubishi pickup from the direction of Corozal Town toward Orange Walk when, upon reaching a curve, she noticed bright lights from an oncoming vehicle heading into her path. She swerved right to avoid a head-on collision, but the oncoming vehicle struck the left front of her truck. She exited through the passenger door, experiencing pain to her left arm, and was later taken to hospital by family members. Her injuries were classified as harm. The police report identifies her as a cousin of the Prime Minister.
The other vehicle, a Ford Ranger pickup, came to rest in a ditch on the side of the highway. Its driver was identified as 53-year-old Adriano Marin, a corporal of police in charge of the traffic branch at the Orange Walk Police Station. According to the report, Marin appeared to be highly under the influence of alcohol or drugs at the time and had swerved into oncoming traffic. He was not injured. Notably, police records showed his vehicle’s licence had been expired since May 2024.
Marin agreed to provide a urine sample, which was divided in accordance with procedure, with one portion given to him for testing at a lab of his choice and the other sealed as evidence. When asked for a second sample an hour later, he declined.
At the conclusion of the investigation, police determined that Marin appeared to be at fault. On Friday, July 10, he was formally arrested and charged with negligent harm, driving without due care and attention, driving a motor vehicle whilst under the influence of drinks or drugs, using an unlicensed motor vehicle, and failing to keep as close as possible to the right hand side of the road. He was granted Justice of the Peace bail in the sum of $1,000.
It is worth noting that the police moved against one of their own within a day of the crash. As with any criminal matter, Marin is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty in a court of law, and the results of any analysis of the sample taken will form part of the court process.
The post Traffic branch head charged after crash that injured PM’s cousin appeared first on Belize News and Opinion on www.breakingbelizenews.com.
By Breaking Belize News Staff (HP): The police corporal in charge of the traffic branch at the Orange Walk Police Station is facing five charges, including driving under the influence, after a late-night head-on collision on the Philip Goldson Highway that left a woman injured, a woman identified in the police report as the Prime
The post Traffic branch head charged after crash that injured PM’s cousin appeared first on Belize News and Opinion on www.breakingbelizenews.com.