Belize Police charge Guatemalan national in fatal hit-and-run that killed special constable Marcos Acal

Belize: Thirty-year-old Juan Carlos Estrada Prado, a Guatemalan national, has been arrested and charged in connection with the fatal accident of Special Constable Marcos Acal that killed him on Friday, January 30th, 2026.

The deceased has been identified as 28-year-old Marcos Acal, a Belizean Police Special Constable of San Roman Village, Stann Creek District.

According to the authorities of Belize, the incident took place on Friday, January 30th, at around 7:25 p.m., at Thomas Vincent Ramos Highway, where the victim police constable was riding his bike on the road and was suddenly struck by the suspect’s vehicle.

Following the accident, the bystander contacted the police officials of the area and on arrival the officers discovered that the unconscious victim who was lying on the road on his shoulder while his lower part of the body was still stuck in his bike.

The officers also noticed that he was bleeding heavily due to his catastrophic injuries, responding to which, personnel immediately took him to the nearby hospital where on arrival he was pronounced dead by the doctors.

After that the police started their investigation into the matter as they viewed the highway’s CCTV footage while recording the statements of the witnesses who told the officers that “it was a hit and run case.”

The officials also took the video taken by the bystanders at the time of the incident which shows the impact of the accident and aftermath of it.

On January 31st, Saturday, the officers arrested the suspect identified as   30-year-old Juan Carlos Estrada Prado, a Guatemalan self-employed resident of Santa Cruz Village, Guatemala, and charged him.

Notably he has been charged with “manslaughter by negligence, causing death by careless conduct, driving without due care and attention, failing to report an accident, and failing to stop and render aid.”

Authorities stated that, after he was charged an official copy of his charge sheet was given to him where he decided to remain silent. Since then he was taken into custody where he will be remanded until Monday, February 2nd, 2026.