Mérida, Yucatán -- Six Canadians travelling in a van near Mérida were involved in a fatal auto accident last night (Feb. 4) which claimed the lives of three young Mexican men.
Police say the driver of the van, Jean François Beaudet, crossed the center line and collided head on with a taxi. The cab driver, 26, and his front seat passenger, 27, were killed instantly. A third man in the rear seat died hours later at a local hospital. All three men were trapped in the crushed taxi and had to be extricated by emergency responders.
The crash occurred about 8:30 p.m. on a road known as the Kantunil–Holcá highway. The area is about half way between this capital city of Yucatán and the Chichén Itzá archaeological site, near Valladolid.
The Canadians apparently were uninjured. An initial Spanish language press report suggests that they have may been a television production crew, but a conflicting story describes them as tourists.
Update Feb. 21 - Canadian charged with three counts of manslaughter: http://mexicogulfreporter.blogspot.com/2012/02/canadian-national-faces-manslaughter.html.
Update Mar. 24 - Canadian released in triple homicide case: http://mexicogulfreporter.blogspot.com/2012/03/canadian-released-in-triple-homicide.html.
