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Alleged driver in Marpi hit-and-run is arrested
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Posted on Aug 09 2021
The Department of Public Safety arrested over the weekend a 17-year-old male believed to have been the driver of the vehicle involved in the hit-and-run that claimed the life of a 20-year-old woman in Marpi.
According to DPS spokesperson Dre Pangelinan, official charges have been filed against the 17-year-old who was identified as the driver of the car that struck and killed 20-year-old Sophia A. Demapan on the night of July 27.
Pangelinan said Superior Court Associate Judge Teresa Kim-Tenorio signed and issued an arrest warrant for the suspect at about 1:32pm last Saturday. The male suspect is facing charges of racing on the highway, speeding, reckless driving, operators’ failure to exercise due care, accident, failure to report an accident, and homicide by vehicle. His bail has been set at $100,000.
At around 5:09pm that same day, police executed the warrant and transported the minor to the Department of Corrections to be detained.
Minors are not identified per standard media practice, unless already identified in other platforms such as social media and the post is independently verified.
Saipan Tribune learned from sources that Demapan’s family members believe there may be more to the incident than just a simple hit-and-run and they believe that justice has yet to be served and they continue to seek answers. They are urging anyone to speak up if they have any information that could give their family the closure and the answers they need.
According to Saipan Tribune archives, Demapan’s body was found by a person who was driving home at around 9pm last Tuesday and had noticed her body on the shoulder of Route 30 in Marpi. The caller immediately stopped to help and called the police for assistance.
At the scene, police noticed tire marks near where they found the victim. Department of Fire and Emergency Medical Services responders saw multiple lacerations and deformities on the female’s body. In addition, the officers also noticed that she sustained multiple fractures and severe injuries to her head.
The woman was pronounced dead at the Commonwealth Health Center at 1am.
