Posted at 11:05 a.m., Wednesday, May 02, 2001

Trolley accident victim identified

By Brandon Masuoka
Advertiser Staff Writer

The 85-year-old woman struck and killed by a tour trolley in Waikiki yesterday has been identified as Eloise Nishida of Honolulu, the city's medical examiner said.

According to police, Nishida was trying to cross Aloha Drive about 9:20 a.m. yesterday and was struck by the trolley as it turned left from Seaside Avenue onto Aloha Drive.

The trolley then traveled another 30 to 40 feet and hit a parked car with two 39-year-old women inside. One of the women suffered a cut on her cheek when she was struck by the surfboard she was loading into the car.

Police said they were investigating whether the driver of the trolley, a 39-year-old woman, accidentally pushed the gas pedal instead of the brake. There were passengers on the trolley at the time of the accident, but police said none of them saw the trolley hit Nishida.

Police said the trolley was traveling slower than 10 mph when it turned the corner, and that Nishida was only about one or two feet away from a crosswalk, which did not have an electric crossing signal.

Police have opened a negligent homicide investigation, which is standard procedure when a collision results in a death.

Speed and alcohol were not factors in the collision and the trolley driver was not arrested, police said.

The trolley driver did not sustain any injuries but was taken to the Queen's Medical Center for observation, police said. None of trolley passengers was injured.