Motorist robbed at gunpoint

A motorist managed to escape from an ex-convict who allegedly robbed him at gunpoint after his car struck a traffic sign in Garapan last Wednesday afternoon.

Nobert T. Rios, 37, was arrested on Friday night on charges of robbery and assault with a dangerous weapon.

The victim, through an interpreter, told police that Rios robbed him of close to $200. The report did not indicate whether he is a cabbie or not.

At a hearing yesterday, Superior Court Associate Judge Joseph N. Camacho maintained the $50,000 cash bail and set the preliminary hearing for Sept. 16 at 9am.

Assistant public defender Tillman Clark was appointed as counsel for Rios. Assistant attorney general Betsy Weintraub appeared for the government.

Police Detective Daniel Maliuyaf stated in his report that two police officers were making a routine patrol along Beach Road, Garapan when they heard the Department of Public Safety Central dispatching officers to a robbery behind Duty Free Galleria on Wednesday at 4:03pm.

Maliuyaf said according to the victim, he parked his car in front of U-Luck Poker in western Garapan to check if his friend was there.

While the victim was inside his car, a man who was later identified as Rios, entered the rear passenger side of his vehicle.

Rios told the victim to roll up the windows and turn on the music. Rios then pulled out a gun that was wrapped in a black cloth, pointed the firearm at him, and told him to drive.

Rios then allegedly demanded money and directed him to continue driving. The victim said they drove to many areas, but Rios got mad when they got to the traffic light near Hard Rock Café Saipan.

The victim said he grabbed all the money from the center console of the car and gave it to Rios.

Rios instructed the victim to make a left turn into Garapan Street and head east. By the carwash next to Mom’s Round Two, the suspect told him to make a left turn into Filooris Avenue.

The victim said when he made the left turn, he lost control of his vehicle and struck the traffic sign on the shoulder of the road.

The victim said he got out and started running to the carwash, where there was a group of people. He said he saw Rios ran toward Filooris Avenue.

The victim said he ran back to his car and drove to the New Double Chinese Restaurant, where he called for police assistance.

At 4:45pm that same day, Police Detective Elias Q. Saralu showed the victim a recorded surveillance footage from U-Luck Poker.

The victim identified one of two men talking to a police officer in the footage as the person who robbed him.

The victim was also later shown a photo lineup, where he positively identified again Rios, police said.

Last week, Tuesday, a security guard and a woman were arrested for attempted murder and other charges for allegedly stabbing a taxi driver during a robbery on Saipan.

The taxi driver, a male, sustained 11 lacerations and avoided from further attack by playing dead. He was taken to the Commonwealth Healthcare Center, police said.

Carlos Aldan Ramangmau, 26, and Felisha Ann Basa, 32, were arrested for attempted murder, aggravated assault and battery, robbery, and kidnapping.