Newswatch
Police, Fire, Courts

By Star-Bulletin Staff

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Corrections and clarifications The Honolulu Star-Bulletin strives to make its news report fair and accurate. If you have a question or comment about news coverage, call Managing Editor Frank Bridgewater at 529-4791 or email him at fbridgewater@starbulletin.com.

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Police, Fire, Courts



By Star-Bulletin staff

Honolulu Police Department Crimestoppers

NEIGHBOR ISLANDS

Driver flees crash that pins, kills passenger

A 19-year-old Kona man died yesterday following a one-car collision on the Queen Kaahumanu Highway and police are looking for the driver, who left the scene of the accident.

Police responded to a call at 12:25 p.m. yesterday that a 2003 Honda that had left the highway near the 89-mile marker.

Witnesses told police that a 2003 Honda, while overtaking another vehicle, lost control, ran off the road and flipped over. The victim was found pinned under the car. He had not been wearing a seatbelt.

The driver and possibly a passenger from the Honda left the scene of the crash before police arrived, witnesses told police. The 19-year-old and another passenger were taken to North Hawaii Community Hospital. The 19-year-old was transferred to Kona Community Hospital, where he was pronounced dead at 4:45 p.m. The condition of the other passenger was not available.

Speed is believed to have been a factor in the accident and police are conducting a negligent homicide investigation. Anyone who witnessed the crash is asked to contact Officer Bradley Freitas at 326-4277.

2 die in car wreck near Ookala on Big Island

Two people were killed yesterday in a single-car wreck on the Hamakua Highway, in which a vehicle ran off the highway and down an embankment at the 31-mile marker, near Ookala, Big Island Lt. Randall Medeiros reported.

The accident happened about 4:20 p.m. and the highway was closed for about an hour, when one lane was opened for light vehicles, Medeiros said.

WINDWARD OAHU

Sideswiping collision sends man to hospital

A 21-year-old man was reported in guarded condition at The Queen's Medical Center after a two-car accident that closed traffic on Kamehameha Highway early yesterday.

The man, identified as Hekeli Kahele, was taken by helicopter to the hospital after his Volkswagen crossed the center line while going toward Kaneohe and sideswiped a Toyota minivan, police said. The accident was reported at about 6:55 a.m.

Two people in the van received minor injuries. Kahele, alone in the Volkswagen, was initially believed to be in critical condition but improved to guarded, police said.

Both drivers were from Oahu's windward side. Whether alcohol was involved isn't known, police said. Witnesses said speed wasn't a factor.

Police said Kahele wasn't wearing a seatbelt.