HONOLULU, Hawaii (5 June 2005) -- A head-on collision on Likelike Highway left a scuba diving legend in critical condition. Rickey Isaka, 80, caused the accident by going the wrong way. Isaka has been under doctor's care after surviving cancer, a stroke and a heart attack. He was returning to his Kaneohe home this morning from a doctor's appointment at The Queen's Medical Center. He's in that hospital tonight. After turning into the makai-bound lanes at Alu Street, Isaka's car collided with a van containing three people -- U.S. Sen. Daniel Akaka's nephew, Joey Akaka, his wife and 5-year-old son. "As I came up to this intersection a car, a white car crossed through the intersection over to the wrong side of the road and was accelerating very rapidly at me and, coming straight at me," said Judith Mason. She swerved and Isaka's car tore off her car's bumper. "I saw this vehicle coming up on the wrong side of the highway and sideswiped the first lady and passed us," said Kealii Kamakawiwoole: Not so lucky was the Akaka vehicle. All three Akakas suffered minor injuries. The scuba diving community is concerned tonight about Isaka. He's been involved in scuba diving from the early days of the sport in the 1950s. "I would say anybody that's been diving on the island for any length of time probably knows him by reputation," said Rill Partlow. | | USS Lagarto "He's the patriarch of scuba equipment repair. He's been doing it nonstop since 1957," said Bill Hannum. He never really retired, still working out of his home. Scuba divers came from everywhere across the Pacific to have Rickey fix their regulators. "People wouldn't trust their gear to anyone else," Hannum said. It's said Isaka memorized every aspect of every part of every regulator ever made. Isaka is unconscious in intensive care tonight. He's expected to recover. SOURCE - KHON |
