CMI student dies in accident

The scene of the deadly crash in the Ajeltake area of Majuro Atoll a few minutes after the accident occurred November 8. Photo: Giff Johnson.

A two car crash in Ajeltake Sunday morning left one driver dead and sent more than six people to the hospital for treatment of injuries. It took three ambulances to transport the accident victims to Majuro hospital.

The driver of an off-duty taxi, CMI student Manita “Lala” Albious, was pronounced dead on arrival at Majuro hospital late morning Sunday. She was driving a car loaded with young people apparently on a jambo heading toward Laura. The vehicle they slammed into head-on was a SUV with a family group on their way to Sunday morning church service.

The accident blocked the road, temporarily backing up traffic.
Albious, 22, was the last person transported from the Ajeltake accident scene because the impact of the collision smashed the engine of her car into the driver’s compartment, pinning her leg in the vehicle.

Police and hospital staff received help from Amata Kabua International Airport Rescue and Fire Fighting personnel who responded quickly, bringing “jaws of life” equipment that enabled first responders to free Albious from the vehicle. A police officer on the scene said she still had a pulse while she lay across the front seats of the car, her legged pinned by the engine. But it took over an hour from the time of the accident to freeing her and getting her into an ambulance for transport to Majuro hospital, where she was pronounced DOA.

Monday morning, three occupants of the two vehicles had been admitted to the hospital, while the rest of the passengers were being observed and expected to be released later in the day. A hospital official said the three who were admitted were stable.

A Marshall Islands High School graduate, Albious had launched her college career at the College of the Marshall Islands in January this year. CMI on Tuesday announced a candle lighting event to honor Albious, “one of our Navigator Angels.” It is scheduled for Thursday at 7:30pm at the Uliga campus courtyard.

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