Waipahu residents Thomas and May Faasulu always got a kick seeing the elderly man and woman riding their mo-ped past their Hoaeae Street home several times a week over the past few years.
"It was cute, the two of them riding a mo-ped," Thomas Faasulu recalled. "Like young kids."
That pleasant image was shattered Wednesday morning as the Faasulus watched in horror when the mo-ped went out of control and crashed in front of them, killing the female passenger.
The woman, identified by the city Department of Medical Examiner as Eufemia Miranda, 74, hit her head on the asphalt street, was unconscious and bled profusely. She died Wednesday night at the Queen’s Medical Center.
Police and the Faasulus said Miranda was riding behind the mo-ped driver, who is believed to be her husband, Eduardo Miranda, 78.
As neighbors tried to help, the husband appeared to be in shock. Police said he was treated at the scene for minor injuries.
The Mirandas were traveling south on Hoaeae Street, less than a quarter-mile away from their home on Hiwahiwa Way.
Thomas Faasulu said he heard what he thought was the sound of a tire popping, and then watched as the mo-ped ran over a road reflector.
"It made him kind of lose balance," he said.
"He just lost control and then landed right in front of us," May Faasulu said.
The mo-ped fell on its right side and slid several feet, the Faasulus said. Neither rider was wearing a helmet.
The husband was able to hang onto the handlebars of the mo-ped, but the woman had only one hand wrapped around his waist while her other hand held a purse, the Faasulus said.
Police asked the Faasulus and Aurora Antonio, who live in separate units on the same property, to keep the mo-ped in their carport until the Mirandas’ family could pick it up.
The blue mo-ped was still in there Thursday morning. It looked relatively unscathed with the exception of some scratches and scrapes on the right side and a flat rear tire.
It is a traffic violation under state law for a mo-ped driver to carry a passenger.
The fatality was the second on Oahu this year. There were seven at this point in 2010.
