A Texas mother-of-two is dead and her boyfriend in custody following a golf cart ride in Belize.
Jennifer Hernandez, 40, died after 39-year-old Isaac Jeremy Flores, hit a bump December 6 on a scenic road on the island of Ambergris Caye, causing her to fall and sustain fatal injuries.
An ensuing investigation saw Flores charged for reckless driving, driving without due care and attention, causing death by careless conduct and failing to provide specimen for analysis.
It was suspected he had been consuming an alcoholic beverage at the time of the incident, said ACP Hilberto Romero during a subsequent press conference.
The police officer who serves as regional commander for Belize’s Eastern Division added that Flores had been arrested. He’s since been released.
Meanwhile, Flores and Hernandez were reportedly engaged to be be wed, with the former now being granted $10,000 bail.
He appeared in the Magistrate Court in San Pedro Wednesday, after which he told local reporters that he hadn’t been allowed to contact his deceased fiancée’s family overseas as they continue to make funeral arrangements.
A GoFundMe started by Hernandez’s employer makes no mention of her reported fiancée, who will be confined to Belize while police probe the incident further.
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Jennifer Hernandez, 40, died on December 6 after a golf cart her fiancée was driving crashed in Belize, causing her fatal injuries. The pair had been vacationing together, relatives said
Isaac Jeremy Flores is pictured with his lawyer following his arrest over his girlfriend’s tragic death. He has been released on $10,000 bail as cops probe the incident, confined to the Central American country
‘On Friday the 6th day of December 2024 police responded to a fatal accident on the Secret Beach Road in San Pedro,’ Romero told Belize City -based Channel 7 last Monday.
‘Upon the arrival they learned that a female had been taken for treatment. San Pedro Police visited the San Pedro Polyclinic where they found [Hernadez] with injuries to the head and body there after she succumbed to her injuries.
‘An investigation was carried out and her boyfriend,, has since been arrested and charged for reckless driving.
‘[He] drove without due care and attention, causing death by careless conduct, and failed to provide a specimen for analysis.
‘It was suspected that he had been consuming alcoholic beverages,’ the officer concluded.
Hernandez, meanwhile, ‘leaves behind two beautiful children whom she loved with every ounce of her being,’ said Beach Brats’ Kelli Gomez.
She wrote an impassioned profile about her late employee on an online fundraiser that’s so far raised more than $12,000 – one that described her as a ‘dear friend’ who died ‘doing something she loved… traveling.’
She also leaves behind a mother, several siblings, two daughter in laws, and two step children, wrote Gomez – adding that Hernandez had been ‘the main source of financial support for her children.’
It happened on this scenic road on the island of Ambergris Caye, after her allegedly drunk boyfriend is said to have driven recklessly and hit a speed bump, sending Hernandez flying
Hernandez leaves behind two kids, two daughter in laws, and two step children. She is seen here with two of her children
Pictured, a still from the crime scene, showing the Texas mom fatally injured following the incident. She died soon after at a nearby hospital after sustaining a blow to the head
‘We ask that you please consider helping her family cover burial expenses as well as any other expenses that are bestowed upon them during this difficult time,’ Gomez added.
‘Thank you all for loving [Hernandez]. She was such a beautiful person and she will be missed beyond words.’
A perusal of the woman’s social media profiles reveals how she took up a career in travel relatively recently, after a 17 year-career in in administrative, accounting and HR roles.
‘My love for travel gave me the opportunity to become a Travel Advisor with Beach Brats, which I absolutely love,’ she writes about herself on a bio available on the firm’s website.
‘Traveling has always been a huge part of my life and I love being able to help my clients plan and live out their travel dreams.’
Photos on her Instagram show her enjoying life with her son and daughter, while others show her on trips to places ranging from New York and Mexico.
They also show that Hernandez is originally from Hobbs, New Mexico, and began working for Beach Brats in the fall of last year.
Cops said the incident on the gold cart occurred around 4pm, and was caused in part by a speed bump.
The couple had been driving to Secret Beach (seen here) when the accident happened, on a road with speed bumps
Hernandez was unconscious after the initial blow to her head and was pronounced dead after being transported to the San Pedro Polyclinic, officials said. An investigation remains underway
Hernandez was unconscious after the initial blow to her head and was pronounced dead after being transported to the San Pedro Polyclinic, officials said.
According to an account offered by the Amandla newspaper, a freshly bailed out Flores appeared distraught when he appeared outside court Wednesday with retained attorney Richard ‘Dickie’ Bradley
The Belize lawyer reportedly told reporters the accident would be a difficult for his client to cope with, as investigations continue.
