Woman Dies After Crash in Hawaii, After Bystanders Attempt to Right Overturned Vehicle
The driver, a well-known Big Island puppeteer, substitute teacher and recycling educator, was alive immediately following the crash Thursday morning, officials said.
A doctor who called 911 told rescuers Jo Anne Diotalevi, 59, was talking and had a pulse after the car flipped upside-down, said Hawaii County Fire Capt. David Wung.
A fire dispatcher told at least one caller not to move the victim, but it's not clear that message was given to the bystanders who rolled the car onto its side, he said.
``When someone tells you don't do it, don't do it,'' Wung said.
When paramedics arrived, Diotalevi was dead, he said. They found her upside down, her weight resting on her head and her neck bent at a 90-degree angle, Wung said.
Diotalevi was officially pronounced dead at Hilo Medical Center, police said. Police ordered an autopsy to determine the exact cause of death.
Diotalevi was one of three permanent education coordinators for Recycle Hawaii, said Nelson Ho, Hawaii County's deputy director of environmental management.
``I think she was a valuable educator and made a really good contribution to recycling on the Big Island,'' he said.
Diotalevi was an original member of ``Puppets on the Path,'' which toured nationally and performed music about Hawaii's environment and natural history, said Angie Baker, who knew her for 30 years.
``She was very passionate about sharing with children about love for the land and how to take care of it and be connected to it through music and creative drama,'' Baker said.