Father in dark
over fatal crashA Kona police officer hits
a pedestrian while on duty
early yesterday
An on-duty Kona police officer hit and killed a 33-year-old pedestrian early yesterday while driving to what Big Island police called a non-urgent call.
Gregory Pluta, of North Kona, was walking at about 2 a.m. on Alii Drive, one-half mile north of Royal Poinciana Drive, when he was struck by a southbound car driven by officer Bryan Ellis.
Police said Ellis, 29, was driving a 1997 GMC sports utility vehicle at a "normal speed" when the accident occurred.
Pluta was taken to the Kona Community Hospital, where he was later pronounced dead.
Ellis has been placed on administrative leave while an investigation into the accident is under way, police said. An autopsy has been ordered for Pluta.
Pluta's father and stepmother, both of Hilo, say they are upset about how the Police Department has been handling the death.
Gregory Charles Pluta, the victim's father, said at about 7 p.m. yesterday that he had not yet been officially notified by police of his son's death and had no information on how the accident occurred.
He said he learned of his son's death from a Kona Hospital emergency room doctor, who also told him there were a number of police vehicles behind the car involved in the accident and that all of them were "rushing to a drug bust."
Police would not confirm or deny the story yesterday.
"I'm waiting for some official to tell me (about the death)," Pluta said, "and nobody has told me nothing. Nobody's calling me. Where is my boy?"
This is not the first time an on-duty Big Island police officer has struck and killed a pedestrian.
In February 2002, Sgt. James Gusman hit and killed Kamekona Cummings, who was crossing the poorly lit Highway 11 late at night while wearing dark clothing.
A year earlier, in December, Officer Calvin Sasaki struck Gabina Makil. The 66-year-old was walking in a marked crosswalk on Mamalahoa Highway in Kealakekua and died from injuries sustained in the accident.
Pluta's death was the fourth traffic fatality on the Big Island so far this year, compared with two at the same time last year.
Gwendolyn Pluta said her stepson -- originally of Milwaukee, who came to the islands with his father 15 years ago -- "was a man with values."
"My boy loved life," Pluta's father said. "My boy just loved everybody. My boy was a good boy. Now he's gone."
