Big Isle accident
victims mournedOne couple killed
in the head-on crash
was expecting a child
HILO >> South Kona resident Arthur Kahele was excited about the birth of his first child, a daughter, expected this weekend, said his sister-in-law Josephine Bishop.
For his girlfriend Sheena Beach, the mother, it would be her second child. The Beach family already held a baby shower for them, Bishop said.
But on Wednesday, people in Kahele's family were worried after seeing a white Toyota Matrix like Kahele's in an accident on Volcano Highway across the Big Island from Kahele and Beach's Milolii home. "Is Arthur around? It looks like his car got into an accident," family members asked Bishop, known as "Tita Jo."
Finally, confirmation was relayed by Bishop's sister-in-law Leiahi Kahele. "We lost them all," she said.
Police released the names yesterday of the people in the Toyota sedan, killed when it spun out of control on the rain-covered highway, striking an oncoming tour van. Kahele, 29, was driving. Beach, 21, sat next to him.
In the back was Adeline "Luana" Kuahuia, 42, Kahele's older sister. They were two of 10 brothers and sisters from the extended Kahele family. With Kuahuia was her husband, Siafa Taetuna, 39, who lived with his wife in North Kona at Kealakehe, Bishop said.
Police had different addresses for some, indicating former residences or different places they received mail.
Witnesses told police that Kahele's sedan was speeding. Police also said they plan toxicology tests for drugs and alcohol.
Assistant Chief Charles Chai said such tests are standard, and no one should draw premature conclusions. The tests can take one to three months, Chai said.
Bishop said Kahele did not drink. The most that Beach did was smoke an occasional cigarette "when she could sneak a drag or two," Bishop said.
Taetuna and Kuahuia were former drug users who had been clean for several years, Bishop said. Kuahuia worked at a hotel as a housekeeper. Taetuna stayed home and took care of their daughter, Judie, 9. They have another daughter, Jodie, 19.
Bishop said she heard the family members were driving to Hilo at the time of the accident to buy tires.
One of the first family members to see the accident was Randall Kahele, brother of Arthur and Adeline, driving from Hilo back to Kona.
When Volcano Highway was closed by the 11:40 a.m. crash, Randall was stuck 15 cars back from the accident, not knowing his brother and sister were in the accident, Bishop said.
As traffic moved again, Randall drove past the destroyed Toyota. "I know that's his car," he told relatives.
By 1 p.m., Bishop and others were on the road from Kona, driving to Hilo Hospital. When they passed the accident site amid fog and continuing heavy rain, they could feel their own car sliding on the slick road.
At the hospital they identified the accident victims, whose faces were not injured. Beach's son Kawena handled it bravely. "He was putting on this brave front. He could handle everything," Bishop said.
Then he cried.
Beach was a house painter when she worked. Kahele was a tile layer. With approval of the owner of their rented house, he had been laying tile there, Bishop said.
"He wanted everything to be all nice for the baby," she said.
Beach felt pain a few days before the crash. Kahele called his brother and said: "Sheena's having pain. What do I do?"
"That's all Arthur talked about," Bishop said. "He was really excited."
