Maskall Resident Claims Driver Held Gun to His Head During Ride

A routine ride home turned into a frightening ordeal for a Maskall Village resident after he was allegedly threatened at gunpoint by the very person who had offered him transportation. The incident has now landed a Salvadoran national behind bars pending the outcome of criminal proceedings.  Forty-five-year-old Francisco Vigil Vasquez, a farmer of Maskall Village who reportedly holds Belizean residency status, was arraigned this week in the Belize City Magistrate’s Court on charges of keeping a prohibited firearm and keeping prohibited ammunition.  Vasquez appeared unrepresented before a Senior Magistrate where he pleaded not guilty to both offenses. However, due to the nature of the charges, bail was denied and he was remanded to the Belize Central Prison until July 30.  Police say the charges stem from an incident that occurred on Sunday morning in Maskall Village. According to investigators, thirty-nine-year-old construction worker Angelina Ventura reported that he had been waiting for transportation near the Maskall Road junction when Vasquez stopped and offered him a ride.  Ventura told police that while travelling inside the burgundy pickup truck, he noticed what appeared to be a chrome-colored firearm concealed beneath a white cloth between the seats. Concerned for his safety, he reportedly asked Vasquez to stop the vehicle so he could get out.  Police say that is when the situation escalated. Ventura alleges that Vasquez grabbed the firearm, placed it behind his left ear, and asked if he was afraid. A struggle reportedly followed, during which Ventura managed to wrestle the weapon away and hide it inside his backpack.  According to the report, Vasquez then drove off toward Maskall Village while Ventura later obtained transportation to Carmelita Village, where he sought police assistance. He subsequently handed over the firearm to authorities at the Orange Walk Police Station.  The weapon was identified as a chrome-colored Smith and Wesson point forty caliber pistol along with a magazine. Following an investigation, police arrested and charged Vasquez on Monday which led to Tuesday’s arraignment.