Moped accident kills man

A man was killed after being hit by a moped along 2W Highway in Tanapag early Monday morning, raising the number of traffic-related deaths to five this year, according to the Department of Public Safety.

Police spokesman Eric F. David disclosed yesterday that the victim, a Chuukese male, suffered internal head injuries and internal bleeding and was admitted to the Commonwealth Health Center Intensive Care Unit.

David said the victim, whom he did not identify, was pronounced dead at about 10:20am yesterday by Dr. Ben Sawer.

David said the accident was reported by an unknown female. Police and medics were immediately dispatched to the scene and transported both the victim and the motorist to CHC for treatment.

Based on preliminary investigation, David said the moped operator, 30-year-old male tourist Tatsuya Oike, was found to be driving under the influence of alcohol. Authorities have yet to determine if speed was a factor in the accident, and had not ruled it out.

Police determined that the crash was caused by pedestrian error.

“Every pedestrian crossing the highway at any point of time other than within a marked crosswalk or unmarked crosswalk at an intersection shall yield to the right of way to all vehicles upon the highway,” David said, quoting local road rules.

Oike, who sustained abrasions on the left side of his body, was treated and released from CHC. He was then arrested for driving under the influence and was booked and detained at the Adult Corrections Facility in Susupe.

David said he later learned that the tourist had already returned to Japan, leaving the island yesterday morning. It was not known how Oike managed to get out of jail; David also declined to comment whether Oike would be brought back, citing that he could not release information yet.

While on Saipan, Oike lived at Hotel Nikko.

The moped, a 2000 white scooter, sustained moderate damage to the front and minor scratches to the right side.

On Jan. 22, a 16-year-old girl lost control of her vehicle, encroached on the opposite lane, and slammed into another vehicle while traveling along Chalan Monsignor Guerrero Road in Chalan Kiya. The accident resulted in the death of the drivers of both vehicles.

On Jan. 7, a 33-year-old man was killed and his 51-year-old passenger was seriously hurt after their vehicle ran off the road and crashed into a concrete wall and power pole in front of Toys 4-U along Middle Road in Gualo Rai.

A couple of days earlier, a gardener died when his pickup truck hit a tree and rolled over a hill on Capitol Hill.

DPS recorded nine traffic related fatalities last year and eight in 2003. Of the nine, seven were alcohol-related. Five alcohol related fatalities were recorded in 2003.