An 80-year-old woman from Puhi died Sunday after being struck by a car in her driveway. Alepia Motilla was standing outside her home on Ono Street at around 8:30 a.m. when she was hit by a vehicle driven by her
An 80-year-old woman from Puhi died Sunday after being struck by a car in her driveway.
Alepia Motilla was standing outside her home on Ono Street at around 8:30 a.m. when she was hit by a vehicle driven by her 60-year-old neighbor.
Motilla was taken to Wilcox Memorial Hospital for major injuries but was later airlifted to Queens Medical Center on O‘ahu.
According to police, the Puhi man was reversing his vehicle into Motilla’s driveway when he mistakenly stepped on the accelerator instead of the brake and ran into Motilla, a parked truck, and a corner of the house.
Officer James Miller with the Kaua‘i Police Department Traffic Safety Unit said a preliminary investigation reveals the driver accidentally mistook the gas pedal for the brake pedal.
Police ruled out alcohol and drugs as contributing factors.
Motilla died at approximately 4 p.m. Sunday.
The case is still under investigation, Miller said.
