Roadway deaths
raise board’s concern

Pearl City residents say
Kamehameha Highway congestion
and safety need study

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By Treena Shapiro
tshapiro@starbulletin.com

Three people have died in two traffic accidents on a 150-yard stretch of Kamehameha Highway since Saturday, renewing the Pearl City Neighborhood Board's concerns about traffic congestion and safety in the area.

But police say the accidents had nothing to do with that stretch of roadway.

The accidents occurred on Kamehameha Highway on either end of Pearl Highlands Center.

Board member May Imamura said the issue would come up at the Pearl City Neighborhood Board's Traffic and Transportation Committee meeting on Aug. 23 and before the neighborhood board Aug. 30.

She said she thinks that stretch of highway is particularly dangerous because of the post office at Kamehameha Highway and Acacia Road.

"It's too close to the intersection," Imamura said.

Traffic congestion in that area is another problem, especially since the new Home Depot opened, she said.

"Pearl City is so congested. I really hope there's a cure."

At about 1 a.m. Saturday, Al Bray, 29, and Merliza Vitolo, 33, were killed when the 1997 Chevrolet Tahoe that Bray was driving hit the rear of another car as it turned left onto Kamehameha Highway from Acacia Road.

Police said the Tahoe veered off and hit a curb, flew into a wooden utility pole, then crashed into a corner office under construction in Pearl Highlands Center.

Traffic in both directions was affected for about 22 hours.

At about 6 p.m. Wednesday, a woman in her 50s died in a traffic accident when her son lost control of a 2000 Ford Aerostar van after striking a city bus, about 150 yards farther Ewa on Kamehameha Highway than the Saturday accident, police said.

In this case, the 19-year-old driver of the van switched lanes and collided with the bus, which caused him to lose control of the vehicle. The van veered off to the north side of the road and struck a large utility pole.

The accident closed the westbound lanes for about four hours.

Lt. Bennett Martin of the Traffic Division said that neither accident had anything to do with the roadway or driving conditions at the time.

"It's completely unrelated to the roadway or the intersection there," he said.

Both accidents were caused by hazardous drivers, he said.

In the first accident, witnesses reported that Bray had been speeding and running red lights.

Bennett attributed the other accident to a lack of attention. Police said speed and alcohol were not factors.

"These accidents happen all the time," Bennett said. "It was more driver error than anything else."