Previous Story
Motorist sues over boom truck collision
A man has filed a lawsuit allegedly over the injuries he suffered when a boom truck collided with the back of his vehicle along Isa Drive on Saipan last August.
John B. Matsumoto is suing the boom truck’s owner, RJCL Corp., which is doing business as RNV Construction, and the driver, Raynaldo N. Alfonso, for negligence.
Matsumoto, through counsel Bruce Berline, asked the Superior Court to hold the defendants liable to pay him damages and court costs. He demanded a jury trial.
Saipan Tribune tried but failed yesterday to get comments from RNV Construction and Alfonso.
According to Berline in the complaint, on Aug. 2, 2016 in the afternoon, Matsumoto was driving his 2008 Honda Ridgeline west on Isa Drive when he stopped at a red light at the intersection of Isa Drive and Chalan Pale Arnold.
Alfonso, an employee of RNV, was driving a 1996 Kia Rhino boom truck westward on Isa Drive, approaching the intersection. He began to apply the brakes in order to slow down the boom truck.
Berline said Alfonso’s efforts to stop the boom truck failed and it collided with the back of Matsumoto’s vehicle.
Berline said after the boom truck came to a halt, smoke was seen coming from the boom truck’s wheels.
The lawyer said at the time of the collision, the weather was clear and the road surface was dry.
Berline said the collision caused extensive damage to Matsumoto’s vehicle and caused him “significant bodily injury and mental pain, distress and anguish.”
Berline said the crash and resulting injuries and damages sustained by Matsumoto was caused by RNV and Alfonso negligently inspecting, operating, maintaining and/or controlling the boom truck.
The Superior Court has given RNV and Alfonso until April 17 to file their response to the lawsuit.
