Man falls off Airport Viaduct, dies after hit-and-run

Police are looking for a vehicle involved in a fatal hit-and-run in the Nimitz viaduct area in Kalihi.

Family identified the victim as Jonathan Pasoquen, a father of three from Wahiawa.

At about 10:30 p.m. Wednesday, a 35-year-old man was traveling eastbound on the H-1 freeway in a Toyota pickup when he struck a plastic traffic barrier located in the area where the lanes split to Nimitz Highway and the Middle Street/Dillingham Boulevard exit, police said.

Lt. Andre Peters of the Honolulu Police Department’s Traffic Division said the driver struck his head on the front windshield upon impact.

The vehicle started to roll back after the crash. At some point, the man somehow managed to exit his vehicle. A witness observed him walking around the shoulder area of the freeway, near the crash site when, for unknown reasons, he went over the guardrail.

The pickup truck came to rest at the guardrail.

Peters said the driver could’ve been disoriented after he struck his head on the windshield in the crash.

The man plunged about 40 feet to the ground on the highway. A vehicle believed to be a dark-colored Volkswagen struck the man as he lay on the roadway. The vehicle fled the scene and headed in the eastbound direction.

Emergency Medical Services transported the victim in critical condition to a trauma hospital where he died.

Michael Pasoquen, the victim’s father, said it was possible his son was disoriented after the crash before he fell off the viaduct. He said he didn’t blame the driver who ran over him, but wondered if it could have helped had the driver stopped to render aid.

He said his son had lots of friends and enjoyed going to the beach, fishing, and working on cars.

“He’s one of the guys,” he said. “He’ll make a party come to life. When he comes into the room, everybody knows.”

Pasoquen leaves behind three children: Akoni, 19, Bronson, 7, and Sarah, 4.

Police said it’s unknown at this time whether speed or alcohol was involved.

This is the second traffic-related fatality on Oahu this year, compared to zero at this time last year.

Based on the debris discovered on the highway by police, the vehicle that fled the scene sustained heavy damage to its undercarriage and possible lower front-end damage, Peters said.

Police are continuing their investigation.

Anyone with information on the hit-and-run is urged to call HPD’s Traffic Division at 723-3413.