Editor’s note: A My Turn column Tuesday that was critical of Mayor Harry Kim and his administration was authored by Barry Willis, a Kailua-Kona resident. An incorrect name was credited on the published piece.
Heartbroken over senseless tragedy
I just returned last night from a trip to the mainland, and was genuinely heartbroken to read the front page story regarding the 35-year-old woman killed in a head on collision, as well as the three children in the car who were seriously injured.
It feels like I’m reading these stories on a near monthly basis where an individual is cut down in the prime of their life (the fireman riding his motorcycle on the upper road comes to mind) because some moron is performing a dangerous pass on the highway to shave 30 seconds off their commute time. This woman was innocently heading to Kua Bay for a little sun and surf, and is now dead at no fault of her own. Additionally, her children now no longer have a mother.
Sadly, certain people are going to continue to drive dangerously and selfishly without regard to human life. Some others will drive under the influence of drugs or alcohol. Many will do both. I do not see this changing unfortunately.
One solution that I think would help, however, is to make the entire section of highway on the west side of the island where you have only one lane in each direction a “no pass” zone. I would also erect a cement barricade separating the lanes so it would be physically impossible to perform a dangerous pass. This solution was implemented on a particular dangerous stretch of highway where I grew up, previously referred to as “blood alley” because of all the head-on collisions, and the problem was essentially solved overnight. There were no more head-on collisions. If this saved a single life, I feel it would be money well spent.
Absent this, I would simply beg all Big Island drivers to slow down, drive with aloha and common sense, and don’t get behind the wheel if you are under the influence. You simply don’t have the right to take another person’s life because of painfully poor judgment.
Tonight I send prayers to Cassandra Lynn Ellis and her entire family. I’m sorry that another’s selfishness robbed you of your life that lay ahead.
Eric Garrett
Kailua-Kona