Man, 49, dies in motor vehicle accident

POLICE are investigating the death of a 49-year-old man who was allegedly hit by a vehicle driven by a 58-year-old Labasa lawyer.

The incident happened on Sunday night at Korotari, outside the Labasa Town.

Police spokesperson Ana Naisoro said the victim – Jone Rusiate, commonly known as John Pelo — was travelling in the lawyer’s vehicle in the lead up to his death.

She said the vehicle Mr Rusiate and lawyer were travelling in was hit by an oncoming vehicle at a cane access road in Nasikasika.

“A 50-yearold of Korotari, Labasa, drove a motor vehicle registration number IK

979 along Nasikasika cane access road when another vehicle driven by a 58-yearold man of Wailevu allegedly coming from the opposite direction and collided with his vehicle,” Ms Naisoro said. “The suspect got off with one passenger and allegedly threw things at the other driver’s vehicle.

“The suspect got back in the car and when he reversed his car, he ran over his passenger (Mr Rusiate) resulting in death.”

The deceased’s wife, Siteri Raikoro, said she was heartbroken.

“I’m so broken and I can’t believe that my husband has left me,” she said.

“We were just together on Sunday afternoon and he told me he had to go somewhere but he would return to pick me up again.

“We were at a bar in town and he left to go somewhere. I didn’t know he was heading to Korotari but he hugged me tightly while we were at the bar and told me to wait for him.

“I got home before 7pm but never heard from him until my older sister (a policewoman) told us to go to the hospital and that’s when I knew.”

I’m so broken and I can’t believe that my husband has left me.

– Siteri Raikoro