Bus victim identified
A mechanic who was killed Monday by a rolling city bus he had just finished repairing has been identified as Alan Toshio Ishimaru.
Ishimaru, 59, worked as a mechanic for the TheBus system for 25 years.
The accident occurred near the start of his 3 to 11 p.m. work shift at Ala Mahamoe Street near Ainapua Street in Moanalua, according to police and Oahu Transit Services spokeswoman Michelle Kennedy.
Ishimaru was part of the company's maintenance department road crew, which conducts on-site repairs for city buses.
About 4:55 p.m. Monday, Ishimaru and another mechanic completed repairs to a bus that had overheated and stalled near Tripler Army Medical Center. The bus was parked on an incline at Ala Mahamoe Street.
Blocks were removed from the bus wheels as Ishimaru and the other mechanic prepared to return to the bus yard several miles away, Kennedy said.
Ishimaru was standing at the rear of the bus when it rolled backward, pinning him against a utility truck parked behind the bus.
Police said the truck was pushed out of the way when the bus crossed the intersection of Jarrett White Road, but Ishimaru was dragged under the bus about 100 feet across Jarrett White Road. He was pinned under the left front tire and pronounced dead at the scene.
The other mechanic was in the utility truck when the accident occurred and was not injured. Kennedy said the utility truck was to follow the bus that overheated back to the bus yard to make sure it got there safely.
The Medical Examiner's Office performed an autopsy yesterday. The cause of death was determined to be "blunt force and crush injuries." The manner of death was classified as an accident.
OTS officials reported the accident to the state Occupational Safety and Health Division and Department of Transportation.
OTS is also working closely with police and will conduct its own investigation "to find out what happened and to make sure this doesn't happen again," Kennedy said.
In a written statement, J. Roger Morton, president and general manager of OTS, said, "We are deeply saddened by this tragic loss. OTS has suffered greatly with the passing of a valued member of our ohana. Our heartfelt condolences go out to the family and friends."
Representatives of the Hawaii Teamsters and Allied Workers Union of Local 996, which represent TheBus employees, also expressed their condolences to Ishimaru's family members.
It was the 51st traffic-related fatality on Oahu this year, compared with 39 at the same time last year.
