Officer killed in Windward accident

By Brandon Masuoka
Advertiser Staff Writer

One police officer was struck and killed by a suspected drunk driver and his beat partner was injured by another car last night on Kamehameha Highway near Waikane.

The truck driver fled the scene and was later arrested, police said. Arrest records named the man as Michael E. Coulter, 22, of Kahaluu. He was arrested on suspicion of driving under the influence of alcohol, first-degree negligent homicide and failure to give information and render aid.

Friends identified the dead officer as Danny Padayao, 46, and the second officer as Frederick Apo, 42. Both worked out of Kaneohe.

According to police, Padayao was laying down flares for an earlier traffic accident at about 10:30 p.m. near the intersection of Kamehameha Highway and Johnson Road when he was hit by a blue Chevrolet truck. Padayao was thrown into the driver's side of a passing car and fell to the roadway.

Police said Apo rushed to assist his beat partner and had his foot run over by another car, police said. The driver of the truck ran away, but was later arrested by Kaneohe Crime Reduction Unit officers.

Padayao was taken to the Castle Medical Center and died shortly after arrival there at 11:10 p.m., a nursing supervisor said. He had suffered multiple injuries, the official said. Apo was treated and released.

Police said speed was a factor in the fatal accident.

Police closed the highway between Johnson Road and Kualoa Point for four hours while the accident was investigated. The road was reopened at 4:37 a.m.