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The Honolulu Advertiser
Posted on: Wednesday, August 27, 2003

Sign-waving safety questioned

By Eloise Aguiar
Advertiser Windward O'ahu Writer

Monday was Daniel Mapu's first time holding anti-drug signs in Ka'a'awa, joining friends who had been doing it for weeks to demonstrate the community's resolve to rid itself of the scourge of crystal methamphetamine, or ice.

Daniel Mapu, 21, of La'ie, was critically injured after being struck by a truck, then a second vehicle.
Those who know the former Kahuku High School football star say it's the kind of thing he did all the time.

"It's characteristic of him to jump in and help whenever he's asked, or if there's a need," said Lisa DeLong, principal at his alma mater.

Mapu had been standing by the side of Kamehameha Highway for a short time when he was struck by a truck, then a second vehicle, leaving him critically injured.

He remained hospitalized yesterday.

The accident has raised questions about the safety of sign-waving, which has become popular across O'ahu in recent months as a way to demonstrate a community's resolve to fight drugs.

Sign-wavers say they try to be safety conscious. The Ka'a'awa group had moved from another location after seeing several near-accidents.

On Monday, the first sign of danger came when sign-wavers saw a white truck heading toward Kahuku, weaving and running into concrete barriers on the narrow makai shoulder.

Mapu, 21, of La'ie, and his friends were standing on the makai side of the road between Ka'a'awa Elementary School and the 7-Eleven store with other sign-wavers, said Darron Maiava, who was across the road. It was about 5:30 p.m.

As the truck approached the line of sign-wavers, most scampered across the road to safety, according to a police report. Mapu and his friends were at the far end of the line, and the truck struck a barricade and veered back into the street, striking Mapu and a 21-year-old La'ie man as they tried to get out of the way. The truck then landed in the ocean.

Mapu fell in the road, where he was struck by a blue van driven by a 22-year-old Arizona man headed in the opposite direction, the police report said.

Mapu was taken to Castle Medical Center in critical condition, police said, and apparently moved to The Queen's Medical Center. Late yesterday, hospital representatives said they could not release any new information about his condition.

The other injured man was treated for a foot injury at the scene.

The driver of the white truck, a 36-year-old Honolulu man, was arrested on suspicion of negligent injury.

While Maiava was shaken by the accident, he said it could have been worse. "It could have been four boys," he said yesterday.

Few people showed up a couple of months ago when Ka'a'awa began its weekly sign-waving, so Maiava had asked his nephew — one of Mapu's friends —Êto join him. Since then, the nephew and his friends, all in their early 20s, had joined the group each week.

Mapu hadn't come before because of work, Maiava said, adding that the "boys" were good kids who had done missionary work for their church. They had fun while holding signs, but recognized the seriousness of the issue and were willing participants, Maiava said.

"They all know the damage it's doing to everybody, the ice," he said.

Maiava said he thought the area where they were campaigning was safe, but drivers did sometimes speed by or overtake on the right when someone was making a left turn.

Maj. Susan Dowsett of the Kane'ohe police station said that area of Windward O'ahu has more drivers falling asleep at the wheel, and people should pay attention to the warning signs and pull over. An initial police report said the driver of the white truck had fallen asleep.

Police always warn sign-wavers to be careful and adhere to safety rules like not leaning into the road, being careful while crossing the street and not distracting drivers, Dowsett said.

Judging from the initial police report, she suspects the sign-wavers in Ka'a'awa were being careful.

"We really stress safety," she said. "You're no good to your cause if you're not around."

As committed as Maiava is to Ka'a'awa's anti-drug campaign, he said he will not hold any more signs.

Reach Eloise Aguiar at eaguiar@honoluluadvertiser.com or 234-5266.