WORLD

MIAMI--A controversial government witness in the trial of two co-defendants of Manuel Noriega has died in an automobile accident, officials said yesterday.

Testimony by the witness, Ramon Navarro, allegedly tied the ousted Panamanian dictator and the co-defendants directly to the drug-smuggling voyage of the luxury yacht Krill, the central issue in the case.

Navarro was paid $170,000 and given immunity to hundreds of drug crimes in exchange for his testimony against Noriega co-defendant William Saldarriaga.

Richard Sharpstein, co-defendant Brian Davidow's attorney, said yesterday that Navarro's "testimony is central to this case, but I think his death is a total, bizarre coincidence."

A Metro Dade police report said Navarro's car crashed late Wednesday night in southwest Dade County, only a few miles from the federal Metropolitan Correctional Center where Noriega and Saldarriaga are housed.

The accident is still under investigation, according to the report, which gave no further details.