The family of actor and former sumo wrestler Taylor Tuli Wily has filed a lawsuit alleging he suffered fatal injuries after being dropped in a wheelchair by a Las Vegas medical transport company.
Wily, perhaps best known for his role in the reboots of Hawaii Five-0 and Magnum P.I., died on June 20, 2024, in Hurricane, Utah, at the age of 56. Details of how his death came about have not previously been made public.
According to the filing, a ramp on one of GMTCare’s vans failed when Wily was on it. As a result, he fell and struck the back of his head on the pavement, the lawsuit says.
The wrongful death complaint, filed in September, accuses the company of negligence during the October 3, 2023, incident. The lawsuit names Wily’s estate, his widow Halona Wily, and their two children as plaintiffs.
Representatives for GMTCare have not publicly commented on the case.
Wily, born in Hawaii, competed in sumo wrestling from the late 1980s until the mid-1990s. As wrestled under the name Takamikuni before eventually retiring due to knee problems. He also fought in UFC matches where he was billed as Teila Tuli.
During a match against Gerard Gordeau, Wily landed a punch that broke Gordeau’s hand. The referee ended up calling an end to the fight, declaring Gordeau the winner on a technical knockout.
Wily later had a recurring role in the series Hawaii Five-0 and Magnum P.I. where he played the same character, Kamekona Tupuola.
He also had a role in 2017 comedy film Forgetting Sarah Marshall, where he played a hotel worker who befriends the main character in the movie, played by Jason Segel.
The Independent has contacted GMTCare and Richard Harris Law Firm for comment.
