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The Honolulu Advertiser
Posted on: Tuesday, December 4, 2001

Kona woman killed by police car

By Christie Wilson
Neighbor Island Editor

A 66-year-old Kona woman who was hit by a police car Sunday night while she was walking to church died yesterday.

Gabina Makil of Captain Cook was crossing Mamalahoa Highway in a marked crosswalk in front of Central Kona Union Church at about 6:20 p.m. when she was hit by a marked police car driven by on-duty patrol officer Calvin Sasaki, according to Capt. John Dawrs of the Kona patrol district.

Makil's son-in-law, the Rev. Philip Buenavista, heads the church's Filipino congregation and was inside preparing for the evening Sunday school and worship service when he heard a commotion on the street.

He said Makil and her husband had parked in the lot across the highway and she was walking alone when she was hit. The minister said church women sitting in a gazebo near the highway heard the screech of tires, then saw Makil on the ground.

She was taken to Kona Community Hospital with head injuries and later flown to The Queen's Medical Center in Honolulu, where she died yesterday, said her daughter, Sandy Buenavista.

The Hawai'i County Police Department is investigating but no further information was available yesterday.

Buenavista said Makil was a faithful churchgoer and homemaker who enjoyed cooking and gardening. She had six children and a number of grandchildren, he said.

Even before Sunday's accident, church members had expressed concern about the need for lighting on the highway, church members said. The church uses crossing guards for morning services, but not for the evening Sunday school and worship service.