A 75‑year‑old man died Monday morning after he was struck by a reversing SUV at the former Sunny Side Café site along Chalan Martinez Road in Koblerville, Saipan according to the Department of Public Safety.
At about 11:35 a.m., DPS 911 dispatched officers to a reported auto‑pedestrian crash. Responding officers found the man lying unconscious near the former establishment with visible injuries. DFEMS medics provided immediate medical aid.
Police said the man and a 56‑year‑old man who was driving had gone to the location to obtain water. While the 75-year-old was still outside the vehicle, the operator entered the silver SUV and allegedly used a stick to engage the gear‑lock mechanism. The vehicle then shifted into reverse, striking the older man, who was behind the SUV at the time.
The Traffic Investigation Unit responded and conducted an on‑scene investigation. The operator voluntarily submitted to a portable breath test, which registered a blood‑alcohol concentration of 0.04.
The victim was transported to the Commonwealth Healthcare Corp., where he was later pronounced dead by the attending physician.
The SUV was impounded as part of the ongoing investigation. DPS said the case remains active.
