More than two years after a devastating highway collision claimed the life of Oscar Rhodas in Belize, a High Court jury has delivered a guilty verdict in the high-profile case against Marvin Cal. Cal was charged with causing death by careless driving following the November 2023 crash on the Burrell Boom–Hattieville Road.
The nine-member jury spent just over two hours deliberating on the evidence presented before returning a unanimous guilty verdict. Prosecutors built their case around a series of witness testimonies and forensic evidence that contradicted Cal’s core defense: the defendant had long claimed he was only a passenger in the white Ford Ranger pickup at the time of the crash, not the person operating the vehicle.
Witnesses who were traveling on the road the day of the incident told the court they observed the white Ford Ranger overtaking a passenger bus at dangerously high speed, swerving unpredictably moments before impact. The vehicle ultimately lost control and collided with a grey Dakota pickup that was towing a utility trailer, according to court records.
Rhodas, who was traveling in the open rear bed of Cal’s pickup, was ejected from the vehicle during the crash and pronounced dead at the scene. Medical evidence presented during the trial confirmed Rhodas’ death was caused by severe, massive head trauma sustained in the impact. First responders also testified that they found Cal trapped behind the steering wheel of the wrecked Ford Ranger after the collision, requiring the use of the Jaws of Life hydraulic rescue tool to extract him from the wreckage — evidence that directly undercut his claim he had not been driving.
Following the verdict, Justice Derrick Sylvester revoked Cal’s pre-trial bail and ordered the defendant remanded into custody at Belize Central Prison. Cal is scheduled to appear for his sentencing hearing on June 16, 2026. Ahead of the sentencing and mitigation submissions, the court has ordered three official reports to be prepared: a victim impact statement detailing the harm caused to Rhodas’ family, a social inquiry report, and a report on Cal’s prior criminal antecedents. Under Belizean law, Cal now faces a maximum penalty of two years of prison time, or a fine, with the final sentence to be determined by the court based on all submitted materials.