Fil-Am San Francisco cable car operator dies from mishap injuries
San Francisco cable car operator died of his injuries after being hit by a motorcycle last June.
SAN FRANCISCO—A Filipino American cable car operator, who had been in a coma after he was struck by a suspected drunken motorcyclist last June, died Tuesday morning, Jan 12, according to the local Muni operators union.
Reynaldo Abraham “Avy” Morante, 50, reported died due to his injuries. He had been on life support at Laguna Honda Hospital and Rehabilitation Center.
Cable car operators reported that Morante had stepped off his cable car to smoke a cigarette when he was a motorcycle driven by William Kanta Makepeace, 22, struck him on June 11, 2015 near the corner of Taylor and Francisco streets.
Morante suffered a fractured skull and traumatic brain injuries, and had a portion of his skull removed to relieve the pressure, according to the District Attorney’s Office, last year.
Makepeace was arrested and charged with two felony counts of driving under the influence of alcohol causing injury. Makepeace is out on bail, according to the DA’s office, but additional charges could be filed as a result of Morante’s death.
Morante was a Muni operator for 20 years and became a cable car operator in 2014. “He was a dedicated City employee who dreamed of being part of San Francisco’s historic cable cars, and he served our residents and visitors with great distinction. He will be greatly missed by all,” said Mayor Ed Lee.
Rey Morante is survived by two adult children, Josephine and Andrew, and his brother, Alan.
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