Previous Story
Artman driver arrested for alleged homicide
|
Posted on Feb 08 2021
Artman Environment Corp. dump truck driver Ed Fabia was arrested over the weekend on charges related to the auto collision in Puerto Rico on Saipan last Feb. 1 that killed Raju Bhai.
In a brief phone interview with Fabia’s wife, she said her husband was arrested last Friday evening and the bail was set at $100,000.
According to court documents, Fabia is being charged with traffic signal violation, false report, and homicide by vehicle.
Fabia will appear in court today for his initial hearing.
Saipan Tribune reached out to Dre Pangelinan, Department of Public Safety spokesperson, to confirm the arrest but there was no response.
In a photo circulating in various social media outlets, it captured the stop light at the Puerto Rico intersection after the accident and the north facing traffic light was green. However, in a separate surveillance video of the accident taken from a nearby building, it showed that the silver Honda Ridgeline where the victims were on was at a full stop before turning into the Smiling Cove Marina and it was during this turn that the Artman dump truck rammed into it.
In a separate video posted on social media, a voice that is allegedly that of the dump truck driver could be heard saying that he was already in the middle of the intersection when the Honda Ridgeline made a left turn toward the marina, making it impossible for him to stop the truck on time. The voices in the video were talking in Tagalog.
According to Saipan Tribune archives, a source within the company said the driver of the dump truck and his helper, who also witnessed the incident, told him and the police a consistent story: the traffic light was green and the silver Honda Ridgeline took the turn into the marina when it wasn’t supposed to.
The source said it’s easy to believe that Artman was at fault but the light can’t be seen. It’s also possible that the silver pickup truck ran a red light.
Bhai, one of the passengers of the silver Ridgeline, was pronounced dead on arrival at the Commonwealth Health Center at about 1:39pm. The other occupant was treated and admitted for serious injuries. The vehicle’s driver was treated and released. The two occupants in the garbage truck were not injured.
