Driver of gas truck arrested after fatal accident with aiga bus

Pago Pago, AMERICAN SAMOA — The driver of the gas truck that crashed into an aiga bus last Tuesday afternoon killing the bus driver and injuring 5 passengers was arrested by police last week and officially charged.

Jonathan Ulu made his initial appearance last week.

He is charged with homicide by vehicle and 2nd degree assault, both class D felonies, each punishable by a term of imprisonment of not more than five years, a fine of not more than $5,000, or both such fine and imprisonment, along with 4 counts of 3rd degree assault, all class A misdemeanors, each will punishable by term of imprisonment of up to one year, a fine of up to $1,000, or both.

Bail is set at $10,000.

THE CASE

On Feb. 2, 2021 at approximately 1:03p.m, Fagatogo Police Headquarters received a call from a woman reporting a two-vehicle accident in the village of Satala with possible injury of occupants involved.

Two police officers responded to the call and arrived at the scene of the accident, where they rendered aid and transported one of the passengers with apparent serious injuries. The bus driver, who received severe injuries as a result of the impact from the accident, was transported to LBJ Hospital in a truck escorted by a police unit. 

Police interviewed a few eyewitnesses, who were at the scene helping injured passengers, including the female who contacted police for assistance.

The female witness stated that she was parking parallel to the eastbound lane at a bus stop on the same side when she saw the crash. She stated that as soon as the white truck swerved onto the opposite lane and struck the aiga bus heading the opposite direction, she and her husband rushed over to the crash scene to render aid to the injured passengers.

Another witness interviewed by police, collaborated what the female witness had stated — that the white truck traveling on the opposite lane collided with the aiga bus traveling in the opposite direction.

Witnesses identified a male individual who was standing on the other side of the road as the driver of the white truck. The driver was later identified as Jonathan Ulu, the defendant in this case.

Ulu was transported to the Fagatogo Police Headquarter for interview, where he was Mirandized, and he agreed to answer questions.

The defendant verbally admitted that he felt sick (flu) from the beginning of the week but later on before the incident, he unexpectedly slept behind the wheel while driving his truck and crashed into the the aiga bus heading the opposite direction.

Ulu was charged with reckless driving causing bodily injuries as specified in Title 22 Section 0702. He was then booked and later transported to the Territorial Correctional Facility (TCF).

Four hours after the incident, investigators arrived at the LBJ Hospital to conduct a follow-up investigation concerning the bus driver’s status and it was revealed that the bus driver had succumbed to his injuries from the crash. He was pronounced dead by Dr. E. Leziton at about 4.54p.m.

Dr. Leziton told investigators that the bus driver suffered multiples abrasions on hands and legs, also a minor laceration on the skull and left pinky toe.The cause of death was chest trauma and abdominal trauma with internal bleedings. Dr. Leziton further stated that the two injuries led to hemorrhagic shock.

Other passengers injured and transported to the LBJ Hospital included a woman who was ejected from the aiga bus at the time of the crash, along with four male individuals. Four passengers were treated and released, while the fifth passenger remains at LBJ Hospital receiving treatment for injuries.