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Official Corruption Surrounds the Death of American Val Robichaux in Cozumel, Mexico
"On the day of his death we departed our hotel north of town around 9:30, and enjoyed a refreshing shower through San Miguel- we headed south out of town just moving right along with the tail wind that we joked would make our life a living hell when we hit the other side of the island. We had decided that when the opportunity allowed- we would jump on the "old highway" as it was slower and lower traffic amounts. At the first opportunity I did so- but my dad missed the turnoff- I (on the old highway) yelled over to my dad and he said "I'll meet you on up ahead" signaling forward towards the upcoming crossover- the entrance to the Ocean Beach Club / Resort. As he slowed and started to turn in / over towards the old highway to meet up with me I noticed a taxi FLYING towards me / us. I signaled with my left hand for my dad to stop and yelled over my left shoulder "DAD! CAR!". I remember thinking "Please GOD let my dad have stopped in time", but as I turned and looked over my right shoulder I witnessed taxi #73 plow into my father at 60+ km/h disintegrating his stout Scott mtb, and sending him torso first into the windshield, then 3+ ft over the vehicle. My heart stopped. The taxi coasted to a stop ~150 meters down the road as I sprinted over to my father screaming. He was motionless in an already large pool of blood. I noticed an ambulance just 100m further down the road and screamed for their assistance. To my amazement my father was breathing with extreme labor but unconscious with obvious lacerations, fractures, bruises and other injuries. Some concerned by standing tourists came to our aid as did some Ocean club employees as the medical staff braced and loaded my father who was still unconscious. The driver never came over and within minutes there were 3-4 other cabs down in the area surrounding the lethal car.
"The 15 minute drive to CMC was the longest 15 minutes in my life as I heard my father fighting for his life in the back of the ambulance but was powerless to do a thing. We arrived, I offered what information I could and was asked to wait in the lobby as I watched the doctors try their hardest to keep my father alive- an effort they eventually could not succeed with as he passed away from cardiac arrest caused by complete torso trauma / lung collapse approx 30 minutes later. We later found out that he had multiple shattered bones, head injuries, extreme bleeding, shattered rib cage, collar bone, collapsed lungs, and several other injuries which simply are not possibly caused by a car traveling at 30 km / h (the posted speed limit). It was an absolute miracle he survived the initial impact- a testament to his health and strength. The medical examiner later told us one of the causes of death was due to his age and fragile condition. I nearly lost it on him.
"At this time I cannot release too much legal information- but what I can tell you is that the cries for justice from my mother, fiance, and myself have fallen on largely deaf legal ears here in Cozumel. We have hired attorneys and a legal team from Cancun who will continue to fight to clear my father's name after we leave the island tomorrow. The corruption here is unreal- as is the power of the taxi unions in this country. I truly pity everyone involved.
"The FACTS: My father had NO yield, stop, or otherwise regulatory traffic sign. My father reached and yielded at the intersection long before the taxi arrived. The Taxi was traveling at OVER DOUBLE the posted speed limit. THE TAXI HAD A STOP SIGN 50 METERS before he killed my father which he blatantly ran. According to the current "expert" opinion which was generated by the local DA's office my father was at fault because he ran a stop sign and failed to yield to oncoming traffic. The report makes NO mention of the vehicle speed (because there was no skid marks because the taxi ran right through my father, and slowly came to a stop afterwords), nor the FACT that the taxi had just ran a stop sign a high velocity.
"The 15 minute drive to CMC was the longest 15 minutes in my life as I heard my father fighting for his life in the back of the ambulance but was powerless to do a thing. We arrived, I offered what information I could and was asked to wait in the lobby as I watched the doctors try their hardest to keep my father alive- an effort they eventually could not succeed with as he passed away from cardiac arrest caused by complete torso trauma / lung collapse approx 30 minutes later. We later found out that he had multiple shattered bones, head injuries, extreme bleeding, shattered rib cage, collar bone, collapsed lungs, and several other injuries which simply are not possibly caused by a car traveling at 30 km / h (the posted speed limit). It was an absolute miracle he survived the initial impact- a testament to his health and strength. The medical examiner later told us one of the causes of death was due to his age and fragile condition. I nearly lost it on him.
"At this time I cannot release too much legal information- but what I can tell you is that the cries for justice from my mother, fiance, and myself have fallen on largely deaf legal ears here in Cozumel. We have hired attorneys and a legal team from Cancun who will continue to fight to clear my father's name after we leave the island tomorrow. The corruption here is unreal- as is the power of the taxi unions in this country. I truly pity everyone involved.
"The FACTS: My father had NO yield, stop, or otherwise regulatory traffic sign. My father reached and yielded at the intersection long before the taxi arrived. The Taxi was traveling at OVER DOUBLE the posted speed limit. THE TAXI HAD A STOP SIGN 50 METERS before he killed my father which he blatantly ran. According to the current "expert" opinion which was generated by the local DA's office my father was at fault because he ran a stop sign and failed to yield to oncoming traffic. The report makes NO mention of the vehicle speed (because there was no skid marks because the taxi ran right through my father, and slowly came to a stop afterwords), nor the FACT that the taxi had just ran a stop sign a high velocity.
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