By the WBWTN News Team | June 23, 2025
Maskall, Belize – An 18 year-old Belizean man has died following a road traffic accident in the early hours of Sunday morning in Maskall Village, located along Belize’s northern corridor.
The victim, Triston Omarion Ortis, a labourer from Maskall, was pronounced dead at Karl Heusner Memorial Hospital just over an hour after the pickup truck he was travelling in careened off the Old Belize River Bridge and plunged 20 feet into the riverbank below.
According to police, the crash occurred shortly after 5:00 a.m. local time. Reports indicate that a dark grey Toyota Hilux pickup, driven by a 34-year-old American national from Las Vegas, Nevada, lost control while crossing the narrow bridge. The vehicle struck the left side railing before toppling over the edge.
Ortis, who was seated behind the driver, was thrown from the vehicle through the shattered rear windshield. Responding officer stationed at the nearby Maskall Police Substation, arrived on scene after being alerted by villagers.
Photo of Ortis
He found Ortis alive but unresponsive, suffering from visible head trauma. Despite being quickly transported to Belize City’s main referral hospital, he succumbed to his injuries.
The driver of the vehicle, identified as an American technician working in Belize, reportedly survived the incident. The Toyota Hilux, which is registered to a local village chairman, was recovered with assistance from area residents and removed from the site.
Police have launched a formal investigation to determine the exact circumstances leading to the crash. The narrow and often poorly lit bridge, coupled with early-morning mist, is believed to have contributed to the miscalculation.
There has been no official word yet on whether charges will be brought against the driver.