Officer Dannygrieggs Padayao enjoyed working with children so much that he planned to be a teacher after he retired from the Honolulu Police Department. Slain officer devoted
off hours to helping kids
in the communityPadayao aspired to become a
teacher after his police careerBy Nelson Daranciang
Star-Bulletin"His family said it best when we were at the hospital. He loved kids so much that when little kids were having family problems he would bring them home whether he was working in Kalihi or whether he was working in Kaneohe," said Lee Donohue, Honolulu police chief, "He was a special person."
Padayao was killed Monday night on Kamehameha Highway when a pickup truck hit him as he placed flares on the road to direct traffic around an accident scene.
Padayao, 46, spent most of his 18-year police career working in Kalihi, first on patrol and later on the Community Policing Team. That gave Padayao the opportunity to get more involved in the community and with kids.
"He was always involved in teen stuff and community activities," said Halepuna Hodges, head of security at Kuhio Park Terrace public housing.
Hodges said Padayao often helped with Parents and Children Together kids programs at the housing project and always showed up for neighborhood walks, cleanups and meetings.
He even helped establish the Kalihi Junior Community Policing program, the first of its kind in the state, said Tiva Aga, former Kuhio Park Terrace tenant relations manager. "The kids just loved to hang around with him. The kids were just hanging all over him," she said.
Aga and Hodges built not only close working relationships with Padayao but also close friendships with him. They were devastated to hear of Padayao's death. "I was very close with Danny," Aga said, "We used to sing karaoke together."
Padayao was reassigned to Kaneohe in December 1998 but he still found the time to work with children.
"Whenever he's in the area he would come and visit me and talk to the kids," said Christine Mico, a child aid worker for Linapuni School's Primary School Adjustment Program. "He talked to the kids telling them to stay in school, listen to their elders," she said.
The motorist who ran over Padayao Monday night apparently did not see him setting flares on Kamehameha Highway about 10:25 near the Johnson Road intersection, police said.
Witnesses told police the motorist, a 22-year-old Kahaluu man, was speeding south on Kamehameha Highway and did not even slow down before he struck Padayao. Police said Padayao was thrown 25 feet into the path of another pickup truck traveling in the opposite direction. He was taken to Castle Medical Center, where he later died.
Police said the motorist stopped his truck, got out and fled on foot. Officers found him at his home nearby and arrested him for driving under the influence of alcohol, negligent homicide and failing to render aid. Police later released him pending further investigation.
A second officer received minor injuries when the vehicle behind the pickup truck ran over his foot. Officer Frederick Apo, 42, was treated for his injuries at Castle and released.
Donohue said there was adequate visibility for motorists to see the officers since the emergency lights of both of their cars were flashing as well as those of a fire truck which was there to respond to the first traffic accident.