Truck crash fatality
was Waianae man, 31

The Medical Examiner's Office identified the 31-year-old male passenger who died in a fatal garbage truck crash in Kapolei as Mark J. Roben of Waianae.

Roben started at Honolulu Disposal Service Inc. about a month ago.

Police said a garbage truck driven by Tipasa Save apparently lost its brakes on Makakilo Drive Friday before it flew over an embankment and skidded to a stop in the Kapolei Shopping Center parking lot.

Roben was ejected from the truck and landed in the parking lot. The truck rolled over Roben. He was pronounced dead at the scene.

Save was taken to the Queen's Medical Center in serious condition and was upgraded to stable condition.

An official with Honolulu Disposal commended Save for avoiding cars at the busy intersection and said it could have been much worse.

"Tipasa did a terrific job taking people out of harm's way," said Wes Chong, vice president of marketing of Honolulu Disposal.

Save has been employed with the garbage truck company for more than six years.

Scott Ishikawa, spokesman for the state Department of Transportation, said Save has a commercial driver's license and a doctor's certificate stating that he is fit to drive a commercial vehicle.

Records show that the 1994 GMC dump truck had passed its annual safety inspection on June 6. Inspectors will be looking for any possible mechanical failures in the garbage truck as well as the company's safety records, said Ishikawa.