Two separate hit-and-runs over the weekend left one man dead and another critically injured.
A 76-year-old pedestrian was killed while walking
his dog in Mokuleia and another man was critically
injured while riding his bicycle in Waikiki.
Lt. James Slayter of the Honolulu Police Department’s Traffic Division said a 76-year-old man identified by his daughter as Eugene Chin of Mokuleia was
walking his dog on the
eastbound shoulder of
Farrington Highway near Dillingham Airfield at approximately 6:50 a.m.
Sunday.
A vehicle, possibly a white sedan, was traveling eastbound on the road when, for unknown reasons, it left the road and struck Chin.
Slayter said Chin was pronounced dead at the scene. His dog was uninjured.
The driver fled the scene. Police located a possible suspect about 1-1/2 miles away. Slayter said no arrests were made as of Sunday morning.
Speed and alcohol are
believed to factors in the crash. The investigation
is ongoing.
This is the 52nd traffic-related fatality on Oahu compared to 32 at the same time last year.
The crash occurred near Chin’s home.
Born in New Jersey and raised in Mississippi, Chin graduated from the Albert Einstein College of Medicine in New York City.
He was a doctor at Koolauloa Health Center in Kahuku where he specialized in chronic disease management, according to the center’s website.
Prior to moving to Hawaii approximately 15 years ago, he had his own practice in New Jersey, said his daughter, Lisa Hyatt, 49. “He loved his patients and loved making the world a better place.”
Chin’s wife, Susanne Chin, was attending mass at Saint Michael Church when someone called to alert her of the crash. The couple had celebrated their 50th anniversary in May.
Hyatt said she was at home when her neighbor told her what happened. “My neighbor who was at church with my mom came running to my house to tell me and that’s when I came down and saw all the tape up across the road.”
Chin centered his life around his family and was already making plans for their holiday gathering on Christmas.
“My dad was already thinking about what size prime rib we need to get and where we’re going to eat and now we’re going to do that this year without him because someone was careless when they were driving and they killed him and then they left,” said Hyatt as she cried while she stood near the crash scene.
Speeding has been a constant problem along the road. “People do drive very, very fast and there are many, many complaints about speeders on this road,” she added.
Her advice to speeding motorists: “Don’t be in such a rush to get anywhere. Be aware of your surroundings and just be considerate of other people on the road.”
Slayter described the crash as tragic. “Everybody needs to be more cautious, slow down. Just understand that we share the roadway with one another.”
The bicyclist was hit by a vehicle at approximately 3:05 p.m. Saturday near the intersection of Kapahulu and Kuhio avenues.
Slayter said a 70-year-old man was traveling southbound on Kapahulu Avenue on a bicycle when he was struck by a white pickup truck traveling in the same direction.
The vehicle fled the scene.
Slayter said the bicyclist was taken to the Queen’s Medical Center in critical condition.
It was unknown whether speed or alcohol on the part of the driver were factors.