GEORGE F. LEE / GLEE@STARBULLETIN.COM Witness Ivella Dennis pointed out to Honolulu police officers last night the location in a crosswalk where three pedestrians were struck by a vehicle on Auahi Street in Kakaako.

Car hits 3 people
in Kakaako
crosswalk

Police arrest the driver
of a vehicle spotted
leaving the scene

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By Rod Antone
rantone@starbulletin.com

Honolulu police arrested a male driver who allegedly struck three pedestrians in a busy Kakaako crosswalk and then sped off last night.

Witnesses said the three -- a married couple and their daughter, all from Japan -- were walking makai from the Farmers Market side of Auahi Street to Ward Warehouse when they were hit by a car heading Ewa on Auahi just after 8:45 p.m.

Police said they arrested the man shortly after 9 p.m.

One of the female pedestrians remained in guarded condition last night at the Queen's Medical Center. Emergency personnel said it appeared that she suffered head injuries.

"He hit her head on and she just flew up," said witness Ivella Dennis, who was driving in her car right behind the suspect's vehicle at the time of the collision. "I did hear him try to brake, but that was already after the impact."

The two other pedestrians who were hit were reported in fair condition at Queen's last night.

Dennis said she did not bother to note the license plate of the suspect's vehicle because the car appeared to slow down.

GEORGE F. LEE / GLEE@STARBULLETIN.COM Stunned witnesses Joshua Robinson, left, and John Fleener lingered last night at the scene of a hit-and-run accident on Auahi Street involving three pedestrians.

"I just assumed that person was going to get out and help," she said.

But then the car took off, Dennis said.

"They did slow down," added Joshua Robinson, who was in his car on the right of the suspect's vehicle. "But then they just took off, and these people were just laying there and I was like, 'Whoa.'"

Among the debris left behind on the street was what police said was the passenger-side rearview mirror from the suspect's vehicle.

"It was a like a 2001-2002 black Volkswagen Jetta with tinted windows," said John Fleener, who was in his truck behind Dennis and got out to help the victims.

"Then I called 911, and they said, 'All the lines are busy, please do not hang up,' and I was like, 'Come on, there's an accident here.'"

Auahi Street is a busy area on Friday nights and the weekend with plenty of foot traffic between Ward Warehouse, Ward Centre and the Ward Entertainment Center.

Tourists are also known to catch the Waikiki Trolley at a stop in the Ward Warehouse parking lot.