Crash victims' families getting help
By Loren Moreno
Advertiser Staff Writer
The Filipino Community Center, in the midst of celebrating the Filipino Centennial, has organized a donation drive to help the families of the four women killed in Monday's truck accident.
Geminiano "Toy" Arre Jr., president of the Filipino Community Center in Waipahu, said the center will incorporate the donation drive into a centennial event that was scheduled for this Saturday. More than 200 people are expected to attend that event, he said.
"We thought since people are going to come here anyway, maybe we could do this as an additional service to the four families who have gone through a tremendous tragedy," Arre said.
The money raised by the drive will go to the families of the victims. The FilCom Center also will provide counseling and other social services to the families of the four deceased and to the eight injured survivors of Monday's accident on Kunia Road, said Emme Tomimbang, a member of the FilCom Board of Governors.
A social worker is expected to meet with families tomorrow at the center to help with counseling, funeral plans and other affairs dealing with the loss of a family member, she said.
"In this year of the Filipino Centennial (the accident) marks a terrible tragedy and it's going to affect the community," Tomimbang said. After hearing what happened, Tomimbang called the FilCom Center and offered to organize the donation drive as part of Saturday's centennial event.
Lorna Laroco, 53, of 'Ewa Beach; Gertrudis Montano, 59, of 'Ewa Beach; Aquilina Polendey, 57, of Waipahu; and Ana Sacala-mitao, 46, of Waipahu were riding in the back of a pickup truck on their way to harvest tomatoes when the vehicle swerved to avoid an oncoming car and slammed into a concrete mixing truck. All were thrown from the truck and died.
Eight others who were riding in the truck were injured and treated at The Queen's Medical Center. Queen's was unable to release information about any victims from the crash who may remain at the hospital.
The oncoming car, a silver or light-blue sedan that was attempting to overtake traffic, sped off and was last seen entering Schofield Barracks. Police interviewed a possible suspect on Monday, but no arrests were made, said Honolulu Police Department spokeswoman Michelle Yu. Police continue to collect evidence and interview witnesses who may have seen the crash, she said.
Edgar Laroco, the son of Lorna Laroco, said yesterday he did not want to be interviewed about the accident or his mother's death. He said he may talk in the next few days.
Also yesterday, funeral announcements were made for Polendey.
A memorial for Polendey will be at St. Jude Catholic Church in Makakilo on Tuesday. Visitation will begin at 9:30 a.m. and services at 11 a.m. Polendey's body will be taken to the Philippines at a later date, said Leeward Funeral Home.
Reach Loren Moreno at lmoreno@honoluluadvertiser.com.