QUESTION: What ever happened to the investigation into the pickup truck involved in a crash in April 2008 that killed motorcyclist Charles A. Pfirrman, whose death left his paraplegic wife with little financial support on Maui?

ANSWER: Charles A. Pfirrman's wife Kim said she received an insurance settlement of $56,000, but the criminal investigation against the driver is ongoing.

“;They haven't completed the police investigation,”; Kim Pfirrman said. “;My life has been turned upside down. … I never thought it would take this long.”;

Pfirrman, 48, died of injuries when a pickup truck turned left off Pulehu Road outside the county landfill into the path of his motorcycle.

Pfirrman, an electrician, had just moved into his dream home in Haiku after taking two years to build it, Kim said.

The Pfirrmans lived in a hut while Charles built the home to be wheelchair-accessible for Kim.

Kim Pfirrman said with only Social Security payments as support, she doesn't have enough money to allow her to meet mortgage payments and she's afraid she'll lose her home.

Maui Police Sgt. Barry Aoki said at the time of the accident, the traffic investigation bureau was understaffed and had only three investigators. Aoki said the section is now fully staffed and has five investigators.

“;We're catching up,”; he said.

Aoki said investigators still have to take a look at toxicological results of drug and alcohol tests of both drivers, determine the speed at which they were driving, and also the line of sight on the rural road.

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This update was written by Star-Bulletin reporter Gary T. Kubota. You can write us at What Ever Happened to …, Honolulu Star-Bulletin, 500 Ala Moana, Suite 7-210, Honolulu 96813; call 529-4747; or e-mail .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address).