‘Hawaii Five-0’ Star Died Because Transportation Company Dropped Him on Pavement, Lawsuit Claims: Taylor Tuli Wily’s Family Takes Legal Action

More details are being released about Hawaii Five-0 star Taylor Tuli Wily’s death, and his family is filing a lawsuit.

Wily, who played ex-convict-turned-entrepreneur Kamekona Tupuola on the CBS reboot, died in June 2024 at 56 years old.

According to 8 News Now, the late actor’s family has filed a wrongful death lawsuit that claims a Las Vegas-based company is responsible for injuries he sustained that ultimately resulted in his death. The lawsuit reveals that Wily was severely injured on Oct. 3, 2023, after a wheelchair lift failed as he was being loaded into a van for non-medical transport.

Per the lawsuit, “As a result of the lift failure, Mr. Wily fell from the platform to the ground, hitting his body and striking the back of his head on the pavement.” Although Wily died in Utah, where his family resides, he was a Clark County resident when the accident happened. The lawsuit, which was filed on Sept. 26 in Clark County District Court, names GMTCare, LLC, unnamed employees, and unnamed business entities.

The suit is seeking damages on behalf of Wily’s wife, Halona, and his children. It also seeks a jury trial and damages in excess of $50,000 for the estate and the heirs for “grief, sorrow, and loss of probable support, companionship, comfort, and society.” Additionally, the lawsuit is seeking court costs and further relief.

Wily’s close friend, musician Lina Girl Langi, announced the news of his death on her lifestyle show, Island Life Live. “It is with a heavy heart that I share the news of the passing of a Hawaii celebrity who was also a family friend,” she said at the time. “Taylor Wily, former wrestler, MMA fighter, and actor, passed away today in Hurricane, Utah. He would look physically menacing until you just folded right into a hug, and that was it. My heart is breaking.” 

Along with acting, Taylor Tuli Wily was also a sumo wrestler and mixed martial artist. He competed in the UFC, where he was billed as Teila Tuli. He retired in July 1989. Additional acting credits include North Shore and Forgetting Sarah Marshall. He also reprised his role as Kamekona on the MacGyver and Magnum P.I. reboots, which take place in the same universe as Hawaii Five-0.