Kaneshiro injured in hunting accident in Waimea Valley

The first weekend of goat-hunting season proved a short one for Kaua’i County Councilmember Daryl Kaneshiro, injured when his mule threw him to the ground Friday evening in Waimea Canyon.

It is ironic, Kaneshiro said from home Sunday afternoon, that he had survived bull-riding at a recent rodeo, only to suffer pelvic injuries when Jerry Mule, his mount of over 15 years, got spooked, jumped sideways, and took off at full speed, tossing Kaneshiro off in the process.

Jerry Mule has gotten spooked before, usually upon catching the scent of a dead animal, Kaneshiro said. Kaneshiro figures that’s what happened Friday, also.

Kaneshiro, 51, landed on his hip, got up, figured he was all right, got back on Jerry Mule, and rode him about 45 minutes back to a cabin along the Waimea River known as Camp 1. After resting at the cabin, Kaneshiro found he couldn’t stand up on his own.

Not wishing to prematurely end the hunting trip slash retreat for several hunters and their families, he remained at the cabin overnight, and when his condition didn’t improve and it became clear he wouldn’t be able to ride out of the valley on his own Sunday as planned, the decision was made to call dispatch and request the rescue helicopter.

The call to dispatch was received at around 4:50 p.m. Saturday, according to Kauai Fire Department Battalion Chief Ernie Moniz. Air One (Inter-Island Helicopters) picked up the KFD rescue team at Kukui Grove around 6 p.m., and was at the cabin by 6:30 p.m.

Kaneshiro was loaded onto a backboard and into the Stokes Litter for transport to Waimea Canyon Park, where an ambulance took him to Kauai Veterans Memorial Hospital at the West Kauai Medical Center. There, he was treated and released.

He was expected to have further treatment and more X-rays Monday, he said.

“I’ll be hopping around shortly,” said Kaneshiro.