Waikiki crash victim was here on honeymoon
By Rod Ohira and Peter Boylan
Advertiser Staff Writers
A honeymoon couple from Japan were two of the seven victims of a out-of-control pickup truck in Waikiki.
Deborah Booker • The Honolulu Advertiser
Hikari Ishiyama, 24, of Kusatsu in Shiga prefecture, died in Wednesday's accident near the intersection of Kalakaua and Ka'iulani avenues. Her husband, 29, was treated for a head injury and a bruised hand and released that day.
Kalakaua Avenue was shut down Wednesday afternoon after a pickup truck, its driver unconscious, veered across four lanes and onto a sidewalk. A woman on her honeymoon was killed.
Joseph Puuohau Jr., a 62-year-old Palolo Valley resident, was identified yesterday by his niece, Leslie Meyer, as the driver of the Ford F150 pickup. A relative said she talked to Puuohau and he told her he couldn't believe someone was killed and felt terrible. She also said Puuohau suffers from high blood pressure.
Puuohau was at The Queen's Medical Center, where he remained in stable condition yesterday. Police are conducting a negligent homicide investigation, which is normal for traffic fatalities. Investigators declined to say whether Puuohau would be arrested.
According to police, Puuohau "lost consciousness" and crossed four lanes of Kalakaua Avenue. The pickup truck bumped the right rear bumper of a 2003 Chevrolet Malibu, driven by a 46-year-old man from Arizona. The truck then went onto the makai sidewalk, where it struck the pedestrians, three brochure stands, a fire hydrant, two trash cans and a police officer's parked 2000 Toyota 4-Runner, investigators said.
Police called it the worst traffic accident for the resort area in 15 years.
Donnie Gates, Emergency Medical Service assistant chief of operations, said that apart from the honeymoon couple, five people were taken to Queen's: two in serious condition and three in good condition.
The Ishiyamas, who were married a couple of days ago, were walking on the makai side of Kalakaua Avenue near the Sheraton Moana Surfrider Hotel in a group that included two other visitors from Japan and three tourists from California.
Investigators are reviewing statements from more than 30 witnesses, some of whom said the driver was either asleep or unconscious when the truck veered across Kalakaua Avenue — from the mauka to makai side.
The driver of the Malibu is also at Queen's, but his condition is unknown.
Police said one of the California visitors, a 30-year-old woman, was treated at Straub for minor injuries and released.
The two other Japanese visitors, a man, 35, and a woman, 30, also were injured, according to the Japanese Consulate's office. The man suffered chest and lower back injuries. His wife broke her nose and cheek.
The woman is at Straub Hospital in stable condition, and the man is at Queens in fair condition.
"It is a very miserable accident," said Masao Ogawa, deputy consul.
"As far as I can see it was an unfortunate accident, so I don't think Japanese media can make anything of it. It's just one accident," said Gilbert Kimura, Hawai'i director of passenger sales and public relations for Japan Airlines. But, "if he was on drugs or alcohol or something that might have a later repercussion."
The Honolulu prosecutor's office is assisting the injured tourists through its Visitor Assistance Program and the Visitor Aloha Society of Hawai'i.
Advertiser staff writers Curtis Lum and Kelly Yamanouchi contributed to this report.
