Kaimuki collision leaves kids shaken up

12 isle schoolchildren hurt in bus crash

A SCHOOL BUS packed with children slammed into a dump trunk in Kaimuki yesterday afternoon, sending 12 students and the bus driver to hospitals, but emergency personnel said the outcome could have been much worse.

Some witnesses said the 54-year-old Ground Transport bus driver ran a red light at the intersection of 9th and Waialae avenues, but police have received conflicting reports, Lt. Alex Ahlo said.

Twelve of the 41 Anuenue School students in the bus and their driver were taken to area hospitals, but their injuries were not serious, Emergency Medical Services Honolulu District Chief Robert Pedro said. All the students were released by last night. The condition of the bus driver was not available last night.

Some of the injured students, ages 7 to 15, complained of body aches and neck pain, Pedro said.

"You look at the size of the truck and the size of the bus, a lot of little children on the bus," he said. "An impact like that, they all go flying forwards, sidewards ... so we lucky we don't have criticals."

Some children said the bus driver was using a bus radio system to talk to another driver when the crash occurred.

The Hawaiian-language immersion school students, ranging in age from 5 to 17, were headed home to Nanakuli and Waianae when the bus, heading makai on 9th Avenue, collided with the truck around 1:50 p.m.

The front windshield of the bus was cracked in the front right corner, and two right-side passenger windows were shattered. The front exit door was damaged, forcing the students to exit through the rear emergency door.

The truck driver, Jason Kahaawi,* 28, refused treatment but said he got the wind knocked out of him when his chest hit the steering wheel.

"I feel bad for what happened," Kaawi said. He said he was Koko Head-bound on Waialae in third gear at 10 mph and had the green light. He said the accident happened "too quick to even react," and he did not have time to brake.

The Pacific Isles Equipment Rentals truck, weighing 19,000 pounds empty, was a quarter full with 3 1/2 tons of dirt.

"I was worried about the kids," said Kaawi, father of three. "That was my main concern."

When ambulance crews arrived, the students were "all scared, they all crying," Pedro said.

The bus driver, who was taken to Queen's Medical Center in stable condition, complained of chest and neck pain, Pedro said.

Seven students were taken to Kapiolani Medical Center for Women & Children, three to the Queen's Medical Center and two to Straub Hospital & Clinic. Although not in serious or critical condition, paramedics took precautions with any students who had any complaints, Pedro said.

Fire Capt. Kenison Tejada said the first four firefighters who arrived at the scene received help from a good Samaritan, and the Sun Tak Seafood Restaurant allowed the students to stay inside.

Anuenue student Lokelani Moepono-Techur, 8, said she saw a 7-year-old boy with a bloody nose. And her cousin, Kuulei Luke, 11, said, "When the truck hit, my friend -- her head banged into my head."

Ground Transport President Louis Gomes said his company has not received a report on the cause of the accident, and he does not know who is at fault.

"We haven't had any major accidents, not anything of this nature," he said.

He said school buses are equipped with two-way radios to communicate with the main dispatch, but operators can call other drivers. He said he has no report of the driver contacting another driver, and dispatch did not speak with her.

He said in any school bus accident, the company does a post-accident drug screening, and the driver is placed on administrative leave.

If the driver is found at fault, an investigation is conducted, and the driver can be placed on indefinite suspension.

The state Department of Education said its regular school buses are not equipped with seat belts, but are designed with stringent safety features, including padded seats all facing forward.

Principal Charles Naumu said the students "held up quite well," but the school will provide counseling today. He said the school has used Ground Transport for 10 years since the school's inception, and with no problems.

CORRECTION Friday, December 2, 2005 » The driver of the dump truck that collided with a school bus in Kaimuki Wednesday is Jason Kahaawi. His last name was misspelled on a Page A1 article yesterday. Please see the applicable Corrections Page for more information.