By Bryan Manabat
bryan@mvariety.com
Variety News Staff
A 57-year-old pedestrian who was struck by a pickup truck on Dec. 14 in Garapan has died from his injuries, the Department of Public Safety said.
The pedestrian, identified by Variety as Mario Lisua, was pronounced deceased on Dec. 22, 2025, at approximately 4:38 p.m. by the attending physician at the Commonwealth Healthcare Corporation.
The auto-pedestrian collision occurred at approximately 7:51 p.m. on Dec. 14. DPS 911 dispatch received a report of the crash, which took place on the southbound lanes of Chalan Pale Arnold Road, directly in front of the Century Hotel in Garapan.
Preliminary investigations indicate that the driver of a 2017 Toyota Tacoma, a 39-year-old male, was traveling southbound in the outer lane when Lisua ran onto the roadway. He was attempting to cross toward the entrance of the upper MIHA housing area when he was struck.
Lisua sustained severe injuries, including a fractured right arm and head trauma, and was transported to CHCC for emergency treatment before being admitted to the intensive care unit.
DPS Public Information Officer Fred Sato said the case remains active.
“There is no confirmation yet on whether the driver will be cited or charged with any traffic violations,” he said. “Traffic investigators are still working the case, and I will provide an update once the information becomes available.”
According to Sato, DPS recorded two traffic-related fatalities in 2024: an auto run-off-the-road fatality along Flame Tree Road and an auto-pedestrian hit-and-run fatality along Beach Road in San Antonio.
So far in 2025, DPS has recorded an auto run-off-the-road fatality on Rota, an auto-bicycle fatality near Tropical Laundry, and an auto-pedestrian fatality near Century Hotel.
Bryan Manabat was a liberal arts student of Northern Marianas College where he also studied criminal justice. He is the recipient of the NMI Humanities Award as an Outstanding Teacher (Non-Classroom) in 2013, and has worked for the CNMI Motheread/Fatheread Literacy Program as lead facilitator.
