Maui teen ‘robbed of
By Gary T. Kubota
his life’ by hit-and-run
Star-BulletinWAILUKU -- Joshua Kaaa, 15, loved surfing and fishing, especially spear fishing for freshwater oopu.
In the hours before the hit-and run accident that killed him, Joshua caught three oopu, which he gave to his grandmother, Bernice.
Joshua's family and friends have been struggling to come to terms with his death Saturday from injuries he sustained in the crash on July 24.
His father James Kimo Kaaa said: "It tore me up that I lost my son. He was a good kid."
Joshua's mother, Charlene "Blondy," wondered if the driver had children and understood the pain suffered by her family.
"If I could have my son back, I would chose to have him over anything else," she said.
Joshua Kaaa, who was going to Big Beach with three friends, was riding in the rear right passenger side of a car heading in the Kihei direction on Mokuele Highway about 12:10 p.m. when it was struck by another vehicle, relatives say.
The car carrying Kaaa was pushed into an oncoming lane and struck broadside by a third vehicle. The vehicle that initially struck Kaaa's car fled.
Police Sgt. Jayson Kozaki said a white vehicle, possibly a truck, was involved in the crash. He had no comment on whether detectives had a suspect.
Relatives say Maui police detectives have recovered a white truck abandoned in the sugar cane fields and have asked friends who were in the car with Kaaa to identify the vehicle.
Family members say the quicker police solve the case, the easier it will be for them to face the loss of Joshua. Philip Kekona, an uncle, said when he thinks of Joshua, he remembers his smile.
"Every time I see him, he's always smiling," Kekona said. "I feel he was robbed of his life. It's real hard, hard to deal with."
James Kaaa says friends have been calling to ask if there is anything they can do.
"I tell them, No. 1, pray," Kaaa said. "No. 2, hug your kids, love your kids, 'cause you never know when you going lose them."
