BARRY MARKOWITZ / SPECIAL TO THE STAR-BULLETIN
Emergency personnel tended to victims of a crash yesterday near the Polynesian Cultural Center in Laie.
Teens involved in
auto wrecksA 17-year-old driver on the
Big Island crashes into a tree
One teenager was killed and five others flown by helicopter to the hospital yesterday in separate traffic accidents on Oahu and the Big Island.
CORRECTION
Wednesday, March 17, 2003>> Four teenagers were flown by helicopter to the Queen's Medical Center after a car crash in Laie on Sunday. A story on Page A5 yesterday incorrectly said five people were flown. In the same story, the name of Big Island police officer Norbert Serrao was misspelled as Serra.
The Honolulu Star-Bulletin strives to make its news report fair and accurate. If you have a question or comment about news coverage, call Editor Frank Bridgewater at 529-4791 or email him at fbridgewater@starbulletin.com.A 17-year-old driver died after he crashed into a tree in Pahoa on the Big Island.
Police said the victim was driving a Chevy Blazer west on Kapoho Road at about 3:30 a.m. when he failed to negotiate a curve and struck a tree.
Firefighters cut the vehicle to remove the driver because the car was wedged within trees. The driver was transported to Hilo Medical Center and pronounced dead at 6:48 a.m.
An autopsy will be performed to determine the exact cause of death.
Police are continuing their investigation. Anyone with information can call officer Norbert Serra at 961-2332.
Also yesterday, four teenagers were taken by helicopter to the Queen's Medical Center after the driver of a Chevy pickup truck struck a wooden fence and a utility pole near the Polynesian Cultural Center in Laie.
The crash occurred about 8:40 a.m. at 55-311 Kamehameha Highway. Police said the vehicle was driven by a 17-year-old boy with a 19-year-old female passenger in the front seat and two female passengers -- ages 15 and 16 -- seated in the truck bed.
One of the passengers in the truck bed was upgraded to serious condition yesterday afternoon from critical condition. Police said the driver and remaining passengers were upgraded to fair and stable condition from serious condition.
Alcohol is a possible factor in the crash, according to police.
Both lanes of Kamehameha Highway were closed until 11 a.m. when a contra-flow lane opened.
A total of 350 Hawaiian Electric Co. customers lost power due to the crash. All but 10 customers had their power restored by 2:30 p.m., said Pepi Nieva, spokeswoman for HECO.
