An 81-year-old pedestrian who enjoyed daily walks around his neighborhood was killed Sunday when he was struck by a sedan in Wahiawa just a short distance away from his home.
Family members said Jose C. Malapit was headed to his Neal Avenue home when he was struck near California Avenue and North Cane Street.
"My dad loved to walk every morning and afternoon," his daughter Raquel Julian said, crying. "We are so shocked of this sudden death of my dad."
Police said at 1:20 p.m. Sunday a blue 2006 Nissan sedan driven by a 24-year-old Wahiawa man was traveling east on California Avenue when the car veered off the roadway. The Nissan struck a blue 2002 Toyota van driven by a 34-year-old Mililani man that was exiting the parking lot of a shopping center.
Police said that the sedan knocked over a "no left turn" traffic sign on California Avenue before hitting Malapit, who was walking on the sidewalk. The vehicle then crashed into a display window of the Payless ShoeSource store.
Malapit suffered head and other injuries and was transported to the Queen’s Medical Center in serious condition. His condition worsened, and he died at the hospital at 4:30 p.m.
The Honolulu Medical Examiner’s Office said Malapit died of multiple blunt force injuries and classified the death as accidental.
On Monday a bouquet of assorted bright pink, yellow and green flowers had been placed at the site where Malapit was struck, along with a can of iced tea and a slice of bread.
Police said the drivers of the vehicles were not injured.
Capt. David Jenkins, spokesman for the Honolulu Fire Department, said the driver of the Nissan had "suffered some sort of medical episode and lost control of his vehicle."
Malapit’s death is the 15th traffic-related fatality on Oahu this year, compared with 20 at the same time last year. It was the sixth pedestrian death compared with 10 at the same time in 2014.
Grief-stricken family members said Malapit’s death has been particularly difficult for his wife of almost 60 years, Catalina.
Julian said Malapit loved to tell jokes and dote on his grandchildren.
Born in Bangui, Ilocos Norte, Philippines, Malapit moved to Hawaii in 1984. He worked in building maintenance at a Mililani apartment complex before he retired, but remained active doing maintenance work at a warehouse in Halawa Heights every Saturday.
He was sociable and enjoyed talking to people around the neighborhood, Julian said.
Ever the family patriarch, he helped each of his four adult children buy a house in Wahiawa, his daughter said. Malapit also bought a home for his children in the Philippines. He wanted to make sure his children were secure and lived a good life, said Julian, overcome by emotion.
Malapit is also survived by sons George and Jonathan, daughter Caroline Agtang, brother Aurelio, half sister Estrella Almazan, 11 grandchildren and four great-grandchildren.
