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25-year-old man dies after allegedly hit by a container trailer truck in Pago Pago

reporters@samoanews.com

A police investigation continues into the death of a 25-year-old man who died last Friday afternoon after he was allegedly hit on the main road in Pago Pago by a container trailer truck, which was heading to the East side from the town area, according to local authorities.

The man, whose identify is not yet released by authorities, is also from Pago Pago and photos of the deceased laying on the road, covered with a white sheet surfaced on social media, after motorists who appear to have passed along the road in Pago Pago where the incident occurred took them while a police officer was in the background directing traffic. 

However, an earlier cell-phone video, taken by a motorist and posted on social media right after the incident, shows the deceased laying on the side of the road, exposed to the public. Two people, who viewed the video, shared with Samoa News their disappointment that no one bothered to use something to cover the body of the deceased.

“With all those people who passed by on the road, taking photos, no one bother to use a sheet or something to cover the man’s body laying on the road,” one of the video viewers told Samoa News late Friday afternoon. “I’ve seen some photos surface later on Facebook with the body covered with a white sheet, but earlier on, there was nothing. And that is so disrespectful of the deceased, who has a family.”

An official at the EMS office, who asked not be identified by name, confirmed to Samoa News on Friday the incident in Pago Pago, and that EMS personnel had responded to the emergency call Friday and found a man on the road, with injuries to his head and face.

A senior official at LBJ Medical Center told Samoa News that the man was declared dead on arrival (DOA) at the hospital.

Police Commissioner Save Liuato Tuitele couldn’t immediately be reached for comment but a senior police officer, who spoke to Samoa News on condition of anonymity because the officer was not authorized to speak to the media, said police have questioned witnesses as part of the ongoing investigation.

Witnesses told Samoa News that a container trailer truck was heading east when they heard a loud noise. As the truck passed, they saw a body on the road and then contacted police.

Samoa News understands that surveillance video footage from a store near where the incident occurred has been given to police to help with their investigation. Additionally, it appears that the driver of the container truck wasn’t aware that someone was hit and that the back section of the trailer truck allegedly struck the deceased.

As of yesterday morning, Samoa News understands police have made no arrest while the investigation continues with the truck driver to be questioned early this week — probably today.

 

Samoa News reporters Ausage Fausia and Fili Sagapolutele contributed to this report. Also see today’s Lali section for the Samoan story about this incident.