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[2018_FLTRXSE]

I'm still in shock...

Hawaii is a small place, and this incident really hits home.

My good friend of 25+ years was killed yesterday, by a tourist, who decided to make a U-turn... from the right lane into the oncoming path of 5 motorcycles in the adjacent left lane.

My friend was the lead rider and hit the Mini-Van HARD.

http://www.honoluluadvertiser.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20090427/NEWS06/904270353

1 killed in crash on Kailua Road
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By Michael Tsai
Advertiser Staff Writer

One motorcyclist was killed and another critically injured yesterday afternoon when their motorcycles struck a rental van on Kailua Road, forcing the closure of the main road into Kailua during a sunny Sunday afternoon.


 According to the Honolulu Police Department's Traffic Division, the maroon Chevrolet van, driven by a Japanese national, was traveling north in the right lane of Kailua Road, near Ulu'oa Street, when it turned into the left lane — occupied by the motorcyclists — to reach a grassy median used for U-turns.

The two motorcyclists, who were in group with three other riders, locked their brakes but were unable to avoid hitting the van, HPD said.

A 46-year-old man was taken to Castle Medical Center, where he later died. The other rider, described as a male in his 40s, was taken to The Queen's Medical Center in critical condition.

The driver of the van did not appear to be injured, according to Honolulu fire Capt. Terry Seelig.

Police are investigating whether speed was a factor in the collision. HPD said alcohol does not appear to have been a factor.

Molly Arthur, 37, was at the nearby YMCA Windward Branch, where she works as a swim instructor, when she heard the crash just after 2 p.m. She and a co-worker then ran across busy Kailua Road to the scene of the crash.

One of the victims had stopped breathing and had no pulse, so Arthur performed cardiopulmonary resuscitation.

"He was really messed up," she said. "His face was bloody and his shirt was torn."

Arthur said she performed CPR for "five to 10 minutes" before Emergency Medical Service workers took over.

Arthur said the man gasped a couple of times while she was working on him, and she was told by EMS workers that the man's pulse returned.

It was the first time Arthur has had to perform CPR. Her previous certification expired, but she is in the process of renewing it. She was still shaken by the incident a couple of hours later.

"I'd never given CPR before, and I'd never even seen an accident before," she said. "I'd never seen anything like that in my life."

Police halted Kailua-bound traffic from Ulu'oa Street for more than three hours to conduct their investigation, with traffic diverted to Kalaniana'ole Highway from Pali Highway.

Reach Michael Tsai at mtsai@honoluluadvertiser.com.

[sadunbar]

So incredibly sad to learn of this....  God Bless....

[SBB]

So incredibly sad to learn of this....  God Bless....

A sad incident.
Sorry to hear about this!

 

[04se103]

Sorry to hear of your loss I to lost a good friend three years ago this month. God Bless

[Buy early]

So sorry to hear about your loss! Our prayers will be with you as you grieve for your friend.

[Bubba]

I am so sorry to hear about the lost of your friend, My prayers will be with you and your friends family as well.

~bubba~

[Wrongway]

My heart is with you and your friends family. Just not right, some air-head with no clue kills a good man? Man, I LOVE TO RIDE, but the load of loosing friends and their friends really takes a toll on me  :bigcry:Hang tough bra, you know you have my heart. Dave

[2018_FLTRXSE]

Thanks folks...

The Media inteviewed his Mom and Daughter for tonights news...

http://kgmb9.com/main/content/view/16738/40/

javascript:IDMPlayer.Controls.PlayVideoOnPage('271,270,264,258,257,256,252,251,250,245,241,239,235,234,232,231,227,220,219,216,215,213,211,210,196,194,278,277,274,273',{CategoryId:'17',ContractDefId:'2',ContractVidObjId:'',ContractBannerObjId:'',PlayerIndex:'0',ShowOptions:'false'});

[Ditch]

Sorry for your loss! Prayers and thought going out to his family and to you and his other friends! One thing that struck me in the article was the line..... Police are investigating whether speed was a factor in the collision. HPD said alcohol does not appear to have been a factor. Shouldn't it read police are investigating whether the driver of the mini van was a competent driver, checked his rear view/side mirror?  I guess that is a mute point a brother has been lost in another senseless accident. God Bless his family and friends!

[mr_magoo]

Sorry to hear, our prayers go out to the families.

[MIKEYTEE]

Sorry to hear of the loss of a friend. Prayer for the families in their time of grief.
You never know what stupid thing anyone on the road will do and when, that's what we have to be aware of.
Mike
 

[Ironhorse]

Eh Bruddah,

Sorry to hear of your loss. Nothing worse than losing a friend. Growing up in Hawaii in thr 60s and 70s we were always wary about the tourist drivers. They are unfamiliar with the lay of the island and quickly get lost. Back then the island was not as crowded as today.

Once again my prayers and thoughts are with you.

Amen

[CVOJOE]

Sorry for your loss! Prayers and thought going out to his family and to you and his other friends! One thing that struck me in the article was the line..... Police are investigating whether speed was a factor in the collision. HPD said alcohol does not appear to have been a factor. Shouldn't it read police are investigating whether the driver of the mini van was a competent driver, checked his rear view/side mirror?  I guess that is a mute point a brother has been lost in another senseless accident. God Bless his family and friends!

Sorry to hear about the tragic loss of your friend. I agree with what Ditch said above....the tourist apparently makes an illegal U-Turn and runs into the bikes, and they're investigating whether speed was a factor?  No matter what, we always lose when it's a close encounter with a cage. Again sorry to hear about this.

Joe

[2018_FLTRXSE]

Sorry to hear about the tragic loss of your friend. I agree with what Ditch said above....the tourist apparently makes an illegal U-Turn and runs into the bikes, and they're investigating whether speed was a factor?  No matter what, we always lose when it's a close encounter with a cage. Again sorry to hear about this.

Joe

This doesnt lessen the hurt, but it helps knowing that HPD will be pursuing the visitor.

Tokyo man suspect in fatal Kailua crash
 
By Curtis Lum
Advertiser Staff Writer

A 37-year-old Japanese national was arrested yesterday in connection with a Sunday traffic accident in Kailua that killed one man and critically injured another.


The dead man was identified yesterday as Eric Souza, 46, of Pearl City.

Jiro Matsunaga of Tokyo was arrested at 5:25 p.m. at a Waikiki hotel for investigation of one count of third-degree negligent homicide and first-degree negligent injury.

Third-degree negligent homicide is a misdemeanor, while negligent injury is a class C felony.

Matsunaga was booked at the main police station on Beretania Street and released without charges pending further investigation.

Matsunaga is suspected of being the driver of a Kailua-bound rental van that veered suddenly from the right lane to the left lane of Kailua Road near Uluoa Street in an attempt to make a U-turn.

As the van began to make the turn at about 2:10 p.m., two motorcycles, which were among five heading in the same direction, slam- med into the van, police said.

Souza, who was driving one of the motorcycles, was taken to Castle Medical Center, where he died. The driver of the second motorcycle, a 43-year-old Kalihi man, remained in critical condition yesterday at The Queen's Medical Center.

Police said neither motorcyclist was wearing a helmet. The crash remains under investigation and police are looking into whether speed was a factor on the part of the motorcyclists.

Souza's death was the 24th traffic fatality on O'ahu so far this year. Nine of those killed were operating motorcycles.

Reach Curtis Lum at culum@honoluluadvertiser.com.

[nidan]

My condolences and prayers to you and all his people