Community mourns Danny Marcos after hit-and-run on Highway 130

Daniel Marcos was the kind of man many in the Big Island Filipino community knew by first name and by his nickname, Danny. The 66-year-old activity coordinator at Hilo Benioff Medical Center’s Extended Care Facility died after a hit-and-run on Highway 130 near Orchidland Drive in Keaau, and his death has left family, coworkers and community groups mourning a familiar cultural anchor.

Hawai‘i Island police said the collision happened about 10:50 p.m. on May 15 in the Puna District, when multiple unknown vehicles struck Marcos and fled in unknown directions. Investigators believe he may have been trying to cross the highway outside a marked crosswalk after getting off a bus and heading home from a party. He was found unresponsive at the scene and pronounced dead at 11:03 p.m. Police identified him on May 20 as Daniel Marcos of Keaau.

For many on the island, Marcos was more than a crash victim. He had served as past president of the Big Island Filipino Community Council and often emceed large Filipino gatherings, including celebrations and the Miss Hawaii Filipina pageant. His son, Djon Marcos, said his father was a regular presence at community events, while family members remembered him as hardworking, funny and beloved. Fundraiser materials say Marcos was born in Banna, Ilocos Norte, Philippines, and enjoyed singing, Filipino cultural dances, spear fishing, jokes and landscaping work for others.

The loss also reached into the workplace. Hilo Benioff Medical Center says its Extended Care Facility sits below the main hospital campus and provides skilled and intermediate nursing care, meaning Marcos was part of a day-to-day environment that now has to absorb his absence. The family’s GoFundMe had raised $13,545 toward a $20,000 goal by Wednesday evening. Visitation is scheduled for June 24 at Dodo Mortuary Chapel, followed by a memorial service.

The case has also sharpened concern about deadly crashes on Hawaii Island roads. Marcos’ death was the 12th traffic fatality on the island in 2026 at the time of a May 19 tally, matching the same count recorded a year earlier. By May 20, the island had recorded 13 traffic deaths, including eight in the previous two weeks. Police are asking anyone with information to call the Unsolved Homicides Division at (808) 961-2380 or Crime Stoppers at (808) 961-8300 as the investigation continues.