Elderly man dies after being hit by car

An 81-year-old Kaneohe man died after he was struck while crossing Kane­ohe Bay Drive Saturday morning, the second pedestrian to die in two days on Oahu.

The crash happened about 6:45 a.m. in front of Bay View Golf Course and Bay View Mini-Putt near the Mokulele Drive intersection.

The victim had apparently pulled his car over along a wide shoulder in front of the golf course and was walking across the street when he was struck by a Toyota Echo driven by a 39-year-old Kaneohe man, said Lt. Robert Towne of the Honolulu Police Department Traffic Division. The Toyota was heading west.

The elderly man was taken to the Castle Medical Center, where he was later pronounced dead. The driver of the Toyota was not injured.

The victim was believed to have been crossing the street to visit a home that sells papayas, and it was apparently a regular ritual for him, Towne said.

The incident happened after sunrise, although there was a steady rain, police said. Neither speed nor alcohol is believed to be a factor.

A portion of Kaneohe Bay Drive was closed for several hours to allow police to investigate.

Pearl Hall, who can see the road from the mini-golf concession booth near the accident, did not get to work Saturday until after the crash.

But Hall said she’s not surprised someone was injured, given the way people have driven in the area.

"It’s like a racetrack," she said.

Hall, who has worked at the concession for eight years, said she’s even sent a letter to politicians calling for road improvements in the area.

Just before dawn on Friday, a 60-year-old man died after he was struck by a pickup truck while trying to cross Farrington Highway in front of Kahe Point.

The HPD Traffic Division reported that 16 of the 57 fatal crash victims in 2012 were pedestrians.

Lance Rae, spokesman for the state Department of Transportation’s Walk Wise pedestrian education program, urged walkers to wear bright clothing on the road, especially at night.

"The No. 1 thing for pedestrians is never take it for granted you are safe crossing the street," he said.