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The Honolulu Advertiser
Posted on: Saturday, August 27, 2005

Officer's SUV hits, kills woman

By Karen Blakeman
Advertiser Staff Writer

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A 77-year-old Kapolei woman was killed Thursday night when she was hit by a sport utility vehicle driven by an off-duty police officer.

Police said the officer, a 29-year-old Mililani man, was not drinking but may have been speeding.

The woman, Tatsuye "Barbara" Yoshizumi, 77, who recently moved to Kapolei from Kailua, was in a crosswalk in 'Aiea when she was hit.

She and her husband had just attended a funeral at 'Aiea Seventh-day Adventist Church and were returning home when she was hit, her son-in-law Rick Bressler said last night.

The officer's identity was not released. He was driving his personal vehicle, police said.

"The case is under investigation and proceeding like any other case, except Internal Affairs will handle any pending criminal charges," said Sgt. John Agno of the Police Department's Traffic Investigation Division.

Agno said Yoshizumi was crossing Moanalua Road in a crosswalk near Nalopaka Place. The off-duty officer was headed west on Moanalua and struck her at about 8:45 p.m.

Agno said that Yoshizumi was wearing dark clothing at night, but that the streets were dry and traffic was light.

She suffered injuries to the head, pelvis and leg and was taken to The Queen's Medical Center by ambulance. She died about 10:30 p.m. Thursday from multiple blunt-force injuries, according to the medical examiner's office.

Yoshizumi was born and raised in a sugar plantation on Maui and was one of seven children, her son-in-law Bressler said.

She worked for most of her career as a nurse at Castle Memorial Hospital, but spent the last 10 years counseling prisoners as a social worker for the state, Bressler said.

In addition to her husband, Masakatsu "Larry" Yoshizumi, a retired painter, she is survived by her sons, Gale and Paul Yoshizumi; her daughter, Laurie Bressler; and four grandchildren.

Services are pending.

Reach Karen Blakeman at kblakeman@honoluluadvertiser.com.