Posted on: Wednesday, December 1, 2004
Car thief rams van driven by senator
By Rod Ohira
Advertiser Central O'ahu Writer
WAIPAHU — State Sen. Bob Hogue and six Academy of the Pacific basketball players escaped serious injury yesterday afternoon when a stolen car collided with their van in Waipahu.
The impact caused the van to veer into a pickup truck.
Hogue, R-24th (Kailua, Kane'ohe), the Senate's minority floor leader, coaches the AOP team, which was headed to Waipahu District Park Gym for a scrimmage against Redemption Academy. Hogue and the six players in the van were taken to The Queen's Medical Center.
"He had a brace on his neck and some of the players had cuts on their heads, but he called us to say everybody was OK," said AOP senior Kaimana Komine, one of a group of players who were in a car following the van.
The two men who were in the stolen car ran from the scene and were still at large last night, police said.
The car was Honolulu-bound when it went onto the median, knocked down a tree, and hit the van on the other side of the roadway at 4:54 p.m.
Reach Rod Ohira at 535-8181 or rohira@honoluluadvertiser.com.
Police said the silver Acura, reported stolen from a car dealership, crossed the grass median on Farrington Highway across from Waipahu High School and struck the Nissan Quest van driven by Hogue.
Sen. Bob Hogue
