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Tagaman competitor hurt
Bicycle hits car that collided with police motorcycle
A Tagaman competitor from Japan was injured when his bicycle hit a car that had collided with a police motorcycle at the intersection of Beach Road and Chalan Hagoi near Mt. Carmel Cathedral in Chalan Kanoa last Saturday morning.
Yu Shinozaki sustained minor injuries and was treated at the Commonwealth Health Center.
The driver of the car was cited for failing to yield to an emergency vehicle, according to Department of Public Safety spokesperson Jacqueline Rae Shepard.
The police officer and the vehicle’s passengers were not harmed in the crash that happened at 7:57am.
A DPS motorcycle was the lead escort for the 2018 Tagaman Triathlon. The officer activated his emergency lights as he cleared a path for the first two biking competitors.
While approaching the intersection of Beach Road Chalan Kanoa and Chalan Hagoi, the officer sounded his siren and slowed down.
After seeing a vehicle approaching from the southbound left turn lane, he continued slowing down, flashing his emergency lights, and sounding his siren.
Once in the intersection, the vehicle began moving in an attempt to make a left turn. The officer stepped on his brakes, but the car proceeded forward, causing the motorcycle and the car to collide at the intersection.
Immediately following the collision between the car and police motorcycle, bicyclist Shinozaki hit the right side of the southbound car and fell to the ground.
The officer called for medics to examine Shinozaki and the car’s occupants.
When questioned, the car’s driver stated that he allegedly did see the police officer in the intersection with his flashing lights, as well as the cyclist in the outer northbound lane.
However, the driver stated that since he did not receive any direction from the officer, he proceeded into the intersection when the traffic light turned green.
Saipan Tribune learned that Shinozaki at the time was leading the race and was heading toward Banzai Cliff when the accident happened.
