Ex-Punahou baseball player dies in California car crash

A former baseball player at Punahou School has been identified as the victim of a single-car crash near Stockton, Calif.

The Record of Stockton reported that Marcus Yoshii, 24, died on Interstate 5 at about 12:40 a.m. Friday after his Toyota hit a guardrail post and flipped over on an embankment.

The former Mililani resident was a standout pitcher in youth baseball before attending Punahou, where he graduated in 2011. He was working as a physical therapy aide at St. Joseph’s Medical Center in Stockton.

Yoshii graduated from the University of the Pacific in 2015 with a bachelor’s degree in sports medicine and pre-physical therapy, according to his social media.

A California Highway Patrol report noted that Yoshii was driving southbound on the interstate when his 2001 Toyota left the roadway and traveled a short distance in the median.

Yoshii then overcompensated and crossed all lanes to the right shoulder, where he struck a post before the vehicle flipped down an embankment, according to the report.

Yoshii apparently died at the scene from his injuries. It was unknown whether alcohol or drugs were contributing factors, the report said.

At Punahou, Yoshii was a relief pitcher who was an integral part of championship teams. Before that, he was a youth baseball star who threw at least a couple of perfect games in Waipio Little League play.

In social media posts since the accident, former players and coaches have called Yoshii an excellent teammate and a good person.

Yoshii’s funeral is planned for Saturday in Lodi, Calif.