MARIANAS Sports Club Inc. and its principal Hitoshi Yamaguchi have been sued in Superior Court for the death of Department of Public Safety Officer Jackson Davis during an open water training course on Oct. 18, 2022.
The police officer’s brother and guardian for his two minor children, Dwayne K. Davis, and his mother, Isabel Kaipat Davis, represented by attorney Victorino DLG Torres, sued the defendants for wrongful death, negligence, violation of the Consumer Protection Act, and violation of equal protection and due process.
The plaintiffs demand a jury trial and are asking the court for “non-economic damages including but not limited to, past and future loss of consortium, loss of love, companionship, comfort, care, assistance, protection, affection, society, moral support and guidance, to Jackson’s mother and children in an amount in excess of the jurisdictional minimum of $300,000 according to proof against all defendants.”
The lawsuit is also asking for “economic damages including but not limited to, past and future financial support, loss of gifts and benefits, medical expenses, funeral and burial expenses, and reasonable economic value of services that Jackson would have provided to his mother and children such as household services, childcare, home maintenance and contributions to the household.”
Based upon information and belief, Yamaguchi is a PADI-certified diving instructor who owns and manages Marianas Sports Club or MSC, the lawsuit stated.
According to the complaint, on or about Oct. 18, 2022, Jackson, a police officer of the Department of Public Safety, together with other police officers, was undergoing an open entry level training under the supervision and guidance of Yamaguchi as the instructor at Laolao Beach.
During the training, Jackson was struggling and couldn’t breathe in the open water, and he informed Yamaguchi who added air to Jackson’s buoyancy control device, the lawsuit stated.
Thereafter, the lawsuit added, Jackson was pulled to the shore where CPR was performed on him and was transported to the Commonwealth Healthcare Corporation where he was pronounced dead.
Jackson was not married and was survived by his two minor children.
MSC is an organization that conducts scuba diving courses at various skill levels.
MSC’s program consists of numerous courses, the first and most basic being the open water entry level.
At the time of the incident, DPS officers were undergoing open water training under a contract with MSC.
MSC provided instruction and supervision to DPS officers including Jackson for the open water training course, the lawsuit stated.
MSC had a duty to assign competent and qualified instructors to administer the open water training course pursuant to standards in a safe and competent manner, the lawsuit added.
Variety failed to get a comment from Yamaguchi or MSC.
