Man succumbs to collision injuries

After lingering for days in the Intensive Care Unit of the Commonwealth Health Center, the man whose car was mowed down in a car collision across the Shell gas station in Puerto Rico last week succumbed to his injuries last Friday morning.

According to Saipan Tribune sources, Sergio Apostol, 67, was pronounced dead Friday morning due to the severity of the multiple injuries he sustained from the collision that happened last Monday night along Middle Road.

The two other females involved in the collision sustained minor injuries and were released after the incident.

Apostol is a Philippine national from the Antique province in the central Visayas and has been on Saipan for 33 years. He is survived by one son, Roberto. 

Apostol’s niece, Ciaralyn Castillo Apostol, said that the family is working at this time on repatriating her uncle’s remains to his home province. As of now, they are awaiting approval from the Philippine Department of Foreign Affairs to help fund the repatriation process but the approval could take up to four weeks, Ciaralyn Apostol said.

For those who would like to offer help to Apostol’s family, Ciaralyn Apostol said she can be reached through Facebook or cash donations are accepted through Western Union.

The Department of Public Safety has yet to release updates on the ongoing investigation of the accident.

According to Saipan Tribune archives, the car collision occurred at about 8pm on Dec. 16 across the Shell gas station in Puerto Rico.

Apostol was rushed to CHC right after and was immediately brought to the operating room for emergency surgery at about 9:30pm.

Shell surveillance footage that was leaked on social media showed an SUV speeding through Puerto Rico just across Shell at 7:59pm as the sedan that Apostol was driving turned slowly into the gas station.

The SUV collided with the passenger side of the sedan, sending it flying backwards as the SUV continued forward before hitting a nearby power pole.

Commonwealth Utilities Corp. linemen were called to the scene to ensure that the power pole did not fall over, preventing a possible power outage in the area or affecting other connected power poles. Four police vehicles were dispatched to the scene, along with two Emergency Medical Service ambulances and tow trucks.

According to a lineman who was at the scene Monday evening and early Tuesday morning, they are sure the SUV collided with the power pole with great force because it caused the sturdy pole to crack at its base, nearly knocking it over completely.

CUC had to return in the morning to secure the impacted pole’s base and adjust the connected power poles in the area because the force of impact also affected the main pole across Shell.