By Barry Markowitz, Special to the Star-Bulletin
The driver of this truck, on his way to sell baby coconuts,
was taken to a hospital following a crash on Kamehameha
Highway. The driver of the other truck, which apparently
crossed the center line, was killed after his vehicle
swerved and hit a tree.
Three die in
Star-Bulletin staff
separate accidentsThree Hawaii men were killed yesterday in traffic accidents.
Police investigators said a 23-year-old man was killed on Kamehameha Highway near Kualoa Point when his pickup truck crossed the center line into the path of a pickup with a converted flatbed box. The accident occurred about 5:30 a.m.
The other driver was treated at Castle Hospital and released.
Investigators say speed appears to be a contributing factor in the accident.
The second fatal incident occurred at 8:55 p.m. on the H-1 Freeway near Kunia Road.
Police said a 47-year-old Kalihi man was changing a flat tire when he was struck by a car that also hit his pickup truck.
The car's driver, 41, and his three passengers -- a man, 40; woman, 29, and girl, 5 -- are in fair condition at Queen's Hospital.
Those two crashes raised the traffic fatality total for the year to 23 on Oahu.
On the Big Island, a 35-year-old Puna man was killed and three others injured in a head-on collision on the Belt Highway near Paauilo.
Police identified the dead man as John Chavez of Keaau.
The accident occurred before 6:30 a.m.
Police investigators said a car driven by Jomal Ford, 21, of Puna ran off the right shoulder of the road and hit a guardrail. The car then bounced back onto the road and crossed the center line, colliding with Chavez's car.
Ford was treated and released from the North Hawaii Community hospital.
Two passengers, a 20-year-old Aleka Rincon and 17-year-old Saisyn Weber were taken to Hilo Hospital where they are in stable condition.
