Police officer, child killed and five hurt in crash
By Rod Ohira and Catherine E. Toth
Advertiser Staff Writers
A Honolulu Police Department motorcycle officer and a child were killed today and five other people were injured in a head-on collision in Honokai Hale.
RIchard Ambo • The Honolulu Advertiser
The officer was identified as Ryan K. Goto, 35. The child, a 12-year-old girl, has not been identified.
Debris from a fatal crash is scattered across Farrington Highway, which was closed this morning as investigators tried to determine the cause. The sedan in the foreground jumped the median and struck three motorcycle officers
According to preliminary reports from the scene, a car crossed the median on Farrington Highway near La'aloa Street at about 10 a.m. and struck three motorcycle officers riding in the opposite direction.
The two people who later died were taken to St. Francis Medical Center-West. Two other officers were among three people taken to The Queen's Medical Center in serious condition. Two others, who were treated at the scene, were taken in good condition to Kap'iolani Medical Center at Pali Momi.
The accident was one of the worst ever for the Honolulu Police Department's motorcycle patrol unit, and it forced the closure of Farrington Highway — the only access to the Leeward Coast — and threatened to affect traffic for hours.
Rita Ramos said she was driving toward Kapolei in the right lane of Farrington Highway when she saw a box fly out of a pickup truck and a green vehicle swerve to avoid it.
A white Mustang slammed into the swerving green vehicle, sending it over the median strip and into the line of motorcycle officers driving in the opposite direction.
HPD officer Ryan K. Goto was killed in today's accident.
"They just flew," she said. "I seen bikes and guys just flying in the air."
In October 2001, three HPD motorcycle patrol officers were injured when they hit a metal light pole that had fallen across Pali Highway. At the time, veteran HPD officers said it was the worst crash involving motorcycle patrol officers that they could recall.
Since 1923, 10 motorcycle officers have been killed on duty, the last in 1991.
An off-the-highway dirt road on the mauka side was being used for Wai'anae-bound traffic, while one lane around the accident scene was open to Honolulu-bound traffic.
The Navy opened Kolekole Pass as of noon today to ease traffic in and out of the Wai'anae Coast, the state Department of Transportation said.
The route goes through Schofield Barracks, through the Wai'anae Mountains and ends at the Naval Magazine at Lualualei.
It's the first time that Kolekole Pass has opened since Sept. 11.
Residents in Honokai Hale said this was one of the worst traffic situations due to an accident they've seen in decades.
"I see the traffic all the time, and this is the worst I've ever seen," said Martha Makaiwi, who has lived in the small Leeward community since 1964. "Cars are not moving at all."
Just before 10 a.m. she said she saw black smoke rising from Kamokila Community Park. Thinking something was on fire, she got in her car and drove toward Farrington Highway.
"When I got there, traffic was already backed up to Nanakuli," she said.
She said police told residents the two Honolulu-bound lanes may be closed for eight hours.
More than 100 people gathered at Kamokila Community Park to watch the aftermath of the accident involving a car and three police motorcycles. Many of them had been on their way to town and pulled over because the cars weren't moving.
James Carlos Jr. was on his way to work at Times Supermarket in Waipahu when he hit the backup just before 10 a.m. Instead of waiting in traffic, he left his car at the park and walked home.
"I’ve lived here a long time," said Carlos, 48, who has lived in Honokai Hale for 39 years. "You wouldn’t’ believe the amount of accidents we have in front of our place … Right now I can’t imagine what the traffic is like in Nanakuli."
