A fatal traffic collision on Belize’s Philip Goldson Highway has left a 77-year-old local woman dead, with law enforcement continuing their probe into the circumstances of the Thursday incident that claimed Erlene Gillett’s life.
According to official updates released Monday by the Belize Police Department, Gillett was fatally struck by a male driver operating a Dodge Caravan van while she was attempting to cross the busy multi-lane highway. Assistant Superintendent Stacy Smith, a staff officer with the department, outlined the next steps in the ongoing investigation in a press briefing following the crash.
“From what investigators have been able to confirm so far, Gillett was hit by the van as she crossed the highway outside of a marked crossing zone,” Smith explained. “As part of standard procedure for fatal collisions, the involved vehicle has been impounded for forensic examination, and we have collected urine samples from the driver to test for potential impairment.”
The collision marks the second recent fatal incident on the same stretch of highway involving a pedestrian being struck while attempting to cross the roadway, a corridor that features large concrete median dividers that can create gaps for crossing outside of official zones. When asked for public guidance following the crash, Smith emphasized shared responsibility for road safety for both pedestrians and drivers.
Smith urged all pedestrians to prioritize using marked, designated crosswalks when crossing the highway to reduce collision risks. But he also noted that the entire affected area falls within city limits, placing a legal and safety obligation on motorists to remain alert and attentive to their surroundings at all times, even in areas without official crossing infrastructure.
“Drivers have a duty to stay observant and anticipate foot traffic, regardless of whether the crossing is officially marked,” Smith added.
This report is based on a transcribed broadcast from local Belizean television, with all official statements converted to standard English for clarity.