Hit-and-runs
raise concern

A fourth death and five injuries
this year are bringing calls
for prevention

Traffic safety advocates are calling for more education to stem a spate of hit-and-runs this year that have left at least four people dead, including a 46-year-old woman killed early yesterday while walking along Joseph P. Leong Highway in Haleiwa.

"Certainly as far as penalizing people and setting up a strict, severe law -- that has been done," said Carol McNamee, chairman of public policy for MADD Hawaii, "but often the laws that we have on the books are not well known or understood."

Hit-and-run cases in 2005 Here is a look at some of this year's high-profile hit-and-run cases: » Two elderly tourists from North Dakota were seriously injured Jan. 24 when struck by a Chevrolet Blazer in Waikiki. Police said the vehicle fled the scene but later returned. The driver was arrested. » On Feb. 14, 56-year-old Gloria Brooks was struck and killed while jogging along Farrington Highway in Waianae. Witnesses saw a flatbed truck speeding away after the crash. » A 20-year-old woman was critically injured Feb. 23 after being struck by a van while crossing Kahului Beach Road on Maui. Police said the van's driver failed to stop after the crash. The van was later found along the roadside engulfed in flames. » Two girls ages 14 and 15 were struck March 5 while trying to cross the intersection of McCully and Algaroba streets against the light. One was left in critical condition; another sustained serious injures. Police later arrested a man alleged to have driven the compact car that fled the scene. » A pedestrian was left in critical condition on April 30 after being hit by a car in Kakaako. Police said the driver of the car failed to render aid after the early morning crash. » On May 2 the body of a woman was found lying face down on Hawaii Belt Highway in Waimea. It was later determined she was the victim of a hit-and-run. » Seventeen days later a 51-year-old man was killed in Wailuku when the bicycle he was riding was struck by a sport utility vehicle. The 28-year-old driver of the vehicle fled the scene but was later arrested. » A 48-year-old woman sustained critical injuries June 27 after a hit-and-run on Kauai. Police arrested a 36-year-old Hanalei man in connection with the incident.

If more drivers knew, she added, that failing to render aid brings a harsher punishment than driving drunk or speeding, they might never even consider fleeing the scene of an accident.

Statistics on the number of people killed or injured in hit-and-run accidents were not available yesterday.

But at least eight high-profile hit-and-run cases, including yesterday's, have left four people dead and five people seriously injured this year. The crashes have taken place on Oahu, Maui, the Big Island and Kauai.

In February, 56-year-old Gloria Brooks was struck and killed by a white pickup truck while jogging along Farrington Highway in Waianae. Witnesses said they saw the vehicle speed away after the crash.

Two teenage girls were hit a month later while trying to cross a busy intersection in McCully. One was in critical condition, while the other suffered serious injuries. Police later arrested a man alleged to have been driving the car that hit them and then drove away.

And in April a pedestrian was left in critical condition after being struck by a driver who failed to render aid. The crash happened about 3:25 a.m. in Kakaako.

"It seems to me that the number of people who decided not to take responsibility for their mistakes is rather high" in the islands, said Charles Rosa-Coleman, executive director of the Hawaii Bicycling League, which teaches bike safety to children.

"It's basically panic," he added. "I don't think it's a blatant disregard for human life."

Waikiki resident Mike Zagorski is not convinced, though.

Just last Wednesday, he was struck while bicycling along Kamehameha Highway in Kailua about 6:30 a.m. The vehicle involved, which he believes was an white older-model Toyota Corolla, sped off even though it had lost its passenger-side mirror in the crash.

Zagorski was left cradling a broken arm.

"I felt pretty helpless, sitting on the side of the road, bleeding a lot," said the avid cyclist, who has hopes of going professional. "It could have been a bit worse, though. I could have been dead."

The pedestrian killed yesterday was trying to cross the Haleiwa roadway about 2:09 a.m. when she was struck. Police said the pickup truck or sport utility vehicle involved in the crash fled toward Waimea and would have extensive damage to its hood.

Just before the crash, the woman was talking to a person who was seated in a vehicle parked on the highway's east shoulder.

Police suspect the vehicle involved in the crash was traveling northbound when it crossed over the center line into the southbound lanes and struck the woman while she was crossing the roadway.

She was pronounced dead at the scene. The vehicle involved is believed to be a light-colored, Chevrolet GMC-type vehicle produced between 1985 and 1993.

It lost its driver's-side mirror in the crash.

Anyone with information is asked to call officer Jaime Louis-Kahanu or Sgt. John Agno of the Honolulu Police Department's Traffic Division at 529-3499.