28 traffic deaths this year, double 2022’s

The number of traffic-related deaths that have happened this year is twice as many as all of last year.

In 2022, a total of 14 individuals died as a result of traffic-related incidents. This year, with about a month left to go and the holiday season upon us, the number of traffic deaths has risen to 28, Guam Police Department acting spokesperson Sgt. Paul Tapao confirmed with The Guam Daily Post on Monday.

The two most recent crashes that doubled the death count over last year's numbers occurred Thursday and Friday last week.

A woman, estimated to be about 40 years old, died Nov. 23, Thanksgiving night, in a crash along Marine Corps Drive in Asan near the Guam Veterans Affairs Office. Her death was the 27th traffic-related fatality of 2023.

According to GPD, a Hyundai Tucson was traveling north on the inner lane in Asan when a Scion tC, which was traveling on the opposite southbound lane, encroached onto the northbound lane and collided with the Tucson.

As a result, five individuals were hospitalized. The woman was pronounced dead.

The next day, Friday, Nov. 24, another woman died in a two-car crash on Marine Corps Drive in Yigo near Andersen Air Force Base, which marked the 28th traffic-related death of this year.

According to GPD, a Nissan 350Z was traveling northbound when a Toyota Sienna minivan exited Chalan Lachance onto Route 1, colliding with the Nissan.

The operator of the Toyota was a 62-year-old woman who died from her injuries. There were five underage occupants in the vehicle at the time of the crash.

In light of the sharp increase in traffic-related fatalities this year, public safety chair of the 37th Guam Legislature, Sen. Chris Barnett, told the Post driving on Guam's roads is “risky business.”

“We all know the government of Guam has failed to make our roads safe,” Barnett stated. “You could be the safest driver on the island and still fall victim to slippery, unmarked, pothole-filled roads that lack streetlights.”

Barnett, however, also added drivers need to be safer as well.

“Drunk, drugged and distracted driving also plays its part in the record number of deaths on our roads. Our people need to be more responsible too,” Barnett said.

With the shortage of police officers, Barnett said he and Sen. Roy Quinata are looking to call a joint hearing in December to bring “public safety and public works together” to find solutions to address safety on the roads.

GPD's Highway Patrol Division continues to investigate the two crashes to determine the causes. Before the incidents, police identified “excessive speed” as “a primary causation in recent fatalities on various routes across our area,” GPD stated in an advisory earlier this month.

Speed was the cause of four recent crashes, in particular on Oct. 21 in Tumon, Sept. 23 in Sinajana and Aug. 19 in East Hagåtña.

At the time of the advisory, GPD's Highway Patrol Division was continuing to gather additional information to understand the full circumstances of the accidents. At the same time, police urged the community to “exercise caution and adhere to speed limits and traffic regulations to prevent further tragedies.”

“Speeding not only endangers the lives of those behind the wheel but also jeopardizes the safety of passengers and other innocent individuals on the road,” GPD said. “Drive responsibly, do not drive impaired and wear your seat belts.”

“We are urging all drivers to be more mindful of their speed and take responsibility for their actions on the road to ensure the safety of everyone,” GPD added.

In a Dec. 5, 2022, column for The Guam Daily Post, Highway Patrol Division investigator Officer Morgan Reyes stated Guam averaged three traffic-related fatalities in the month of December between 2018 and 2021.

GPD did not respond to the Post's questions about recent numbers as of press time.

• Feb. 7: Venix Fiden was driving a Nissan Pathfinder on Route 15 and collided with a garbage truck.

• Feb. 12: Martin Perez Ruiz was struck by a car while using a crosswalk at the ITC intersection in Tamuning.

• Feb. 17: Jeffry Ignacio, a bicyclist, was hit by a car near the Barrigada post office.

• Feb. 22: Florinda Herrera Rosero, 83, was using the crosswalk at the ITC intersection when she was hit by a car.

• Feb. 25: Charles Chet Gallinari, a motorcyclist, was hit by a car making a U-turn on Route 1 by Chief Brodie Memorial Elementary School in Tamuning.

• March 23: Kamerino Angkel, 38, died after being hit by a car as he was crossing Route 1 by Hmart in Anigua.

• April 5: Manley Blechel, the driver of a liquid petroleum gas tanker truck, ran off Route 2 in Humåtak, collided with a guardrail and landed in a ravine.

• May 12: Malee Estrellado was hit by a car as she was crossing the intersection of Route 10 and Route 15 in Mangilao.

• May 19: A two-car crash on Route 16 in Harmon resulted in the death of the two drivers involved. One of the drivers was identified as 24-year-old Maxon William.

• June 13: A 2-year-old girl died after being hit by a car in the parking lot of an Upper Tumon apartment complex.

• June 15: A motorcyclist died after hitting a curb passing the entrance to Gov. Joseph Flores Memorial Park on Route 14 in Tumon.

• July 9: A girl died during an auto-pedestrian collision on Route 3 by Chalan Lamasu in Dededo.

• July 16: A two-car collision on Route 10 by Leyang Road in Barrigada resulted in the death of both drivers, one being 59-year-old Gilbert James Charfauros.

• Aug. 6: Neil Dolor, 51, and Juliet Dolor, 87, died in a collision with a pole on Route 1 by Asan Beach Park and Limtiaco Circle.

• Aug. 7: Jackueline Bebout, 30, died in a crash near Pay-Less Supermarket in Yigo.

• Aug. 7: A female pedestrian was hit by a car in the middle lane of Route 1 near Siam Restaurant in Anigua.

• Aug. 19: Jason Jamodre, 23, and Roxane Lamarsipa died after colliding with a tree on Route 1 by the East Hagåtña Mobil gas station.

• Aug. 27: Julia Ann Sahagon Cruz was struck by a car on Route 1 near Pacific Tyre in Dededo.

• Sept. 23: David Junior Maech Topasna, 41, collided with a Guam Power Authority pump station on Route 4 in Sinajana.

• Oct. 21: Gianna Lynn Duenas Mesa, 33, struck a raised median and collided with a light post on Pale San Vitores Road in Tumon.

• Oct. 29: Mark Suda Jr., 40, and Repingeni Santos, 45, died during a crash involving a sedan and dump truck on Route 1 in Asan.

• Nov. 23: A woman died in a two-car crash on Route 1 near the Guam Veterans Affairs Office in Asan.

• Nov. 24: A 62-year-old woman died in a two-car crash on Route 1 in Yigo near Andersen Air Force Base.