WAIMEA – Gloria Duarte, the popular “Tax Lady” of Waimea, died Friday after she apparently lost control of her automobile while driving from her home in Koke‘e to her office in Waimea town. Her vehicle flipped over a guardrail on
WAIMEA – Gloria Duarte, the popular “Tax Lady” of Waimea, died Friday after she apparently lost control of her automobile while driving from her home in Koke‘e to her office in Waimea town.
Her vehicle flipped over a guardrail on the Waimea Canyon side of Waimea Canyon Road and rolled about 200 feet down an embankment about 7:45 a.m. Friday morning. She was accompanied by Baron, a German Shepherd dog Duarte had taken home from the Kaua‘i Humane Society. Baron survived the crash with no apparent major injuries, was scheduled to be inspected by a veterinarian Saturday.
The vehicle was discovered at about 9:50 p.m. Friday evening by Keith Robinson of Makaweli. Robinson persisted after dark in a search for the vehicle that began Friday afternoon.
The search by Kaua‘i Police Department officers and local residents of Koke‘e and Waimea ranged up and down the road from Koke‘e to Waimea without results until Robinson, reportedly using night vision gear, was able to locate the wrecked vehicle.
The accident occurred one-tenth of a mile southeast of Mile Marker 3 on Waimea Canyon Road.
Duarte was ejected from the vehicle and died at the scene, according to a report from Cyndi Ozaki, public information officer for the County of Kaua‘i.
Some searchers who had looked for Duarte on Friday questioned Saturday whether a Koke‘e-bound vehicle had cut off Duarte as she headed downhill to Koke‘e, causing the accident.
A Kaua‘i Police Officer helping to direct traffic at the scene at about 12:15 p.m. Saturday advised a reporter to keep back, saying “this is a crime scene.” Drivers along Waimea Canyon Road had to make a slight detour onto the road shoulder near the area where Duarte’s vehicle went over a guardrail as recovery efforts were made to bring the vehicle up and out of Waimea Canyon at noontime Saturday. What appeared to be the KPD crime scene van was parked at the scene.
The county report on the accident made no mention of a second vehicle being involved.
Duarte was a well-known Westside resident, active in the Kauai Food Bank, on the board of the Kauai Veterans Memorial Hospital and other community organizations.
She was an unsuccessful County Council candidate in a past Kaua‘i election. Each year Duarte prepared income tax returns for dozens of long-time clients, and did business as the “Tax Lady.” She also ran a Mexican restaurant located on Kaumuali‘i Highway in Waimea.
Her death marks Kaua‘i’s ninth traffic fatality of 2004.
Plans for a funeral service for Duarte are pending.
