By George F. Lee, Star-Bulletin
Dayton Wago, in front, now five years old, was the victim
of a hit-and-run motorcyclist nearly three years ago. His family
and police are asking for help in finding the suspect before the
statute of limitations runs out in January. Behind Dayton on
the couch are family members Vicky, Devan and Vance.

Family looks for
closure almost 3
years after accident

Time is nearly up for charges
to be brought in the accident that
scarred 3-year-old Dayton Wago

ByCraig Gima
Star-Bulletin

DALLAS had just beaten Pittsburgh in Super Bowl ... on Jan. 28, 1996, when Vance Wago heard his son scream in front of his Waimanalo house and the roar of an off-road motorcycle driving away.

"I just ran out to my son. My son had blood all over," he said. "I sat screaming for help as loud as I can. I just held my son until somebody called the ambulance."

The driver of the motorcycle hit 3-year-old Dayton Wago in front of the mailbox at 41-692 Bell St. as the child was getting off his bicycle. The motorcyclist then fled.

"My son still has nightmares thinking that the guy is going to come back and kill him," said Dayton's mother, Vicky Wago. She said the hit-and-run incident has scarred her entire family.

"All we want is closure because the guy is still walking around a free man," she said.

If no charges are filed before Jan. 28, there may be no closure for the family. The statute of limitations for the crime will run out. So police are making one last effort to bring the case to court.

"The chances of this case being brought forward for prosecution without adult witnesses are very remote," said Detective Letha DeCaires of the Honolulu Police Department's CrimeStoppers program.

"We want the community to get involved," she said. "It could have been your son, your nephew, your grandson. We need the community."

DeCaires said police are hoping the suspect or a witness who can place the suspect at the scene will agree to testify in court.

After the incident, police traced a possible suspect to a home at Manawaiola Street, where a Super Bowl party was in progress. But no witnesses would agree to identify the man who may have been driving the motorcycle. The motorcycle was never recovered.

"When it came down to asking them if they were willing to go to court, they said no, they don't want to get involved, that kind," Vicky Wago said. "They pointed out who the suspect was, but they weren't willing to go all the way for my baby."

Dayton Wago, who is now five, has a metal plate in his skull. He's also suffered emotional trauma.

"If he gets overly excited, he gets seizures," his mother said. "When he gets the nightmares he's afraid to go out. Some days you look at him, he looks normal and then some days he's not."

Wago said just the sound of motorcycles frightens her son and he can tell the difference between a dirt bike and a regular motorcycle.

"He can still hear that sound of the dirt bike that went hit him," she said.

Dayton's father said not knowing exactly what happened and why is frustrating.

"Why us? Why my family? This guy had so much room on the road I don't know why he had to go straight for my son," he said. "Maybe he was scared, that's why he took off ... if it was an accident or if he was drunk, we can't close our books until we find all this out."

"Please, if they can find it in their hearts to do this for my son," Vicky Wago pleaded. "Just think if it was their child. Wouldn't they want someone to go all the way for them?"

Witnesses who are willing to testify in this case are asked to call the vehicular homicide section of the Honolulu Police Department at 529-3523 and leave their name and a telephone number.