Death toll in crash rises to 3

The critically injured passenger of the car that slammed into a power pole in front of the Joeten Kiyu Public Library in Susupe early Sunday morning succumbed to her injuries yesterday.

Department of Public Safety spokesperson Lei Ogumoro said Rose Ann O. Bautista, 22, was pronounced dead at the Commonwealth Health Center at 1am yesterday.

Ogumoro said Bautista suffered internal bleeding and other fatal injuries.

Bautista, a waitress at Godfather’s Bar, was among the three passengers of the car. She was seated in the back of the vehicle.

The driver, Hydee G. Garcia, 26, also a waitress at Godfather’s Club, was pronounced dead at CHC Sunday at 4:16am. She sustained severe head trauma and other fatal injuries.

The front side passenger, Ronald H. Carreon, 35, a computer technician at I-Tech, suffered head trauma and several fatal injuries. He was pronounced dead upon arrival at CHC Sunday at 3:03am.

The only survivor, Joel O. Tagalicud, 30, a guitarist of the band Fat Joy Slim, is currently recuperating from multiple abrasions, lacerations, and bruises to the body. He was seated beside Bautista in the back.

Ogumoro said alcohol and speed were factors in the crash and that all four occupants were not wearing seatbelts at the time of the accident.

The vehicle—a green 1997 Ford Crown Victoria—had extensive damage.

Ogumoro said preliminary investigation indicated that Garcia was the cause of the crash.

Ogumoro said that on Sunday at 2:06am DPS received a report of an auto crash that occurred along Beach Road in Susupe near the Joeten Shopping Center.

Traffic and patrol unit officers were dispatched to the scene. Medics and traffic investigators also responded.

Ogumoro said the investigation showed that the vehicle was traveling north on the outer lane along Beach Road in front of the Joeten Shopping Center in Susupe.

Garcia, the driver, lost control of the vehicle and the car veered sharply to the right.

As a result, the car went off the main road and collided with a Commonwealth Utilities Corp.’s power pole located on the shoulder along the Nauru traffic signal light intersection, according to Ogumoro.

“The weather was cloudy and the road surface, including the shoulder, was dry,” she said.

Garcia, Carreon, and Bautista are the sixth, seventh and eight fatalities of vehicular accidents in the CNMI this year. All deadly crashes happened on Saipan.