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Two thrown off scooter after colliding with vehicle
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Posted on Jul 18 2004
A man and his girlfriend were thrown off a scooter Thursday afternoon after colliding with a vehicle along Beach Road Garapan.
According to police reports, the man, 34-year-old David R. Mathieu, sustained various injuries as a result of the accident, including moderate abrasion cuts to his right lower leg, left and right knees, right ankle, and was reportedly complaining of pain on the back of his neck. The incident was reported to the Department of Public Safety at about 1:34pm.
The name and condition of his girlfriend was not disclosed.
In a statement, DPS acting public information officer Pete C. Muna indicated that the driver of the vehicle, 39-year-old Vicenta S. Lacanlale, was at fault in the accident.
Mathieu told police that he was heading south on Beach Road. As he approached the Century Insurance Center building area, he saw a red truck parked off the southbound lane.
“As he got closer to the red truck, he saw the truck enter the southbound lane. He suddenly applied the brake, but was unable to stop the scooter. As a result, the front end of the scooter struck the front left portion of the red truck and they flew off the scooter and landed on the ground,” said Muna.
Muna indicated that Lacanlale admitted not seeing the scooter approach.
“Mrs. Lacanlale, stated that she stopped on the side of the southbound lane and looked north and didn’t see any car or scooter heading south,” he said. “As she entered the southbound lane, she suddenly saw a red scooter on her left side of her truck and the scooter stuck the left portion of the fender of her truck.”
Annual statistics showed that traffic-related crashes in the CNMI are increasing. A total of 3,168 accidents complaints were reported in 2003, an increase of 29.57 percent or 723 cases over that of 2002, which featured 2,445 traffic-related crashes.
