In an emotional public address on July 24, 2026, Belizean Stann Creek West Area Representative Rodwell Ferguson opened up about his son Stoney Ferguson’s recent run-in with law enforcement in Placencia, condemning his son’s alleged actions while sharing heartbreaking details of the lifelong health challenges the younger Ferguson has faced.
The incident unfolded on Saturday, July 18, during a routine roadside traffic checkpoint. According to Placencia police, Stoney Ferguson failed to stop at the checkpoint, triggering a police chase that ultimately ended in an altercation. The confrontation escalated to verbal abuse directed at responding officers and resulted in damage to a police vehicle, after which Stoney Ferguson was taken into police custody.
Through tears, Rodwell Ferguson spoke publicly about the case, acknowledging that his son must answer for any harm his actions caused and face full legal consequences for his behavior. What the public did not know, he explained, was that Stoney has never experienced a day of normal, pain-free health since he was an infant.
Shortly after birth, Stoney was diagnosed with a severe form of asthma that required extended hospital stays throughout his early childhood. “He lived in the Dangriga hospital more than he lived at home,” Rodwell Ferguson recalled in his phone interview, referencing local medical staff who can confirm the years of ongoing care his son received.
Eight years before the 2026 incident, Stoney suffered another life-altering injury when he fell from a breadfruit tree while climbing and broke his back. Rescuers found him two hours after the fall, wracked with extreme pain, but due to personal beliefs, he declined invasive medical intervention. He spent only one night in the hospital for observation before returning home, where he has lived with chronic severe back pain ever since.
This persistent daily pain, Rodwell Ferguson explained, has left his son struggling with constant anxiety and frequent irritability. To maintain independence and avoid relying on others for care, Stoney built a small living selling fresh fruits and vegetables, working the trade nearly every day with his father’s full support.
“We must respect the police at all times; they are just doing their job,” the elder Ferguson stated firmly, rejecting any attempt to excuse his son’s actions toward officers. He added that while the chain of events that unfolded after his son was taken into custody is still being clarified, the public deserves to understand the context of the lifelong struggles that have shaped Stoney’s daily experiences. This report is a transcribed adaptation of an evening television news broadcast, with Kriol language dialogue rendered using a standardized spelling system for accuracy.