Carjacking suspect caught

Police arrested the suspected carjacker who escaped from custody Wednesday afternoon while undergoing treatment at the Commonwealth Health Center.

Lawmen collared Marco S. Fitial that same night after about three hours of scouring villages near the hospital. Police did not specify where Fitial was found.

Fitial appeared before Superior Court presiding judge Robert Naraja yesterday afternoon in a bail hearing. The suspect is facing carjacking charges after he took off with a woman’s car Monday afternoon. He later crashed into a tree by the roadside on Beach Road, San Jose after a high-speed chase with police.

Before this incident, it was also alleged that Fitial stole two bottles of Soju liquor from the 99 Cents supermarket in Garapan and attempted to punch a woman, Ming Hua Quan Yoon, who ran after him for shoplifting Monday afternoon.

Police investigation disclosed that Fitial fled on foot and left his bicycle at the supermarket. Minutes later, he commandeered the green Chevrolet Astro van with license plate ACG-123 from the parking lot of Shirley’s Coffee Shop in Garapan.

Last Tuesday, the court allowed charges of assault, disturbing the peace, theft and theft of vehicle to proceed against Fitial and imposed a $30,000 bail on him. Fitial escaped from the hospital the following day after being released from the Intensive Care Unit.

Police said Fitial sustained head and facial injuries after the crash on Monday.

The van’s female custodian, Yuki Higuchi, had gone inside the restaurant to meet with someone, leaving the engine and air-conditioning unit running and her two pet dogs inside. Watching over the van from the restaurant’s glass wall, Higuchi saw Fitial step inside her vehicle and drive away.

Police detective George David said he saw the woman chasing the van. Shortly, the woman boarded the car of a certain Mr. Pangelinan and both of them chased the van. David also chased the van, as DPS alerted its men about the stolen vehicle.

The woman communicated with police during the chase. Police vehicles immediately responded and gave chase while others blocked the southbound lanes of Beach Road at the San Jose intersection. The van then crashed near the intersection.

Yesterday, Judge Naraja raised the bail amount for Fitial to $60,000. The judge placed Fitial under house arrest, ordering police to conduct random checks on the defendant. The judge also ordered the confiscation of Fitial’s travel documents and his confinement to Saipan.

Assistant attorney general John Eaton sought a higher bail amount against Fitial. The court appointed the Public Defender’s Office to represent him.

Government prosecutors have yet to file charges, if any, against Fitial regarding Wednesday’s escape.

Regarding the other charges, the judge set a preliminary hearing on June 17 and Fitial’s arraignment on June 27.