Accidents on Oahu roads
kill soldier and injure 11
A dangerous weekend continued on Oahu roads yesterday.
Since Friday afternoon's Wilson Tunnel crash that killed three and injured three others, a Schofield Barracks soldier died and 11 other people have been hospitalized because of traffic accidents.
Early yesterday morning, a 24-year-old soldier died when the 2001 Mitsubishi Gallant he was driving westbound on Ala Moana lost control and slammed into a tree about 3:30 a.m. His two passengers, also soldiers, were taken in guarded condition to the Queen's Medical Center.
Traffic investigators said the roads were wet at time, and the driver was going about 60 mph.
About 9:45 a.m. yesterday, seven people were taken to area hospitals after a two-car accident at the intersection of Kamananui and Kaukonahua roads in Wahiawa.
Police said a 32-year-old Waianae man driving a 1986 brown Honda Accord was heading west on Kaukonahua Road when he ignored a stop sign and broadsided a 2001 black Mercury Marquis, which was going north on Kamananui Road.
The 32-year-old and his two passengers, a woman in the front seat and a 71-year-old man in the back seat, were taken to Queen's Medical Center. The 71-year-old was last listed in critical condition.
The Marquis' driver, a 69-year-old Ewa Beach man, was taken to Wahiawa General Hospital, as were his three passengers -- a 73-year-old woman in the front seat, and a 70-year-old Ewa Beach man and 59-year-old Ewa Beach woman in the back seat.
The driver and passengers in the Marquis were all wearing seat belts. The 71-year-old man in the Accord was not.
Less than five hours after the Likelike Highway crash, about 9 p.m. Friday, two people were flown to the Queen's Medical Center in serious condition after a two-car accident on Kamehameha Highway near Kaaawa Beach Park.
Police said a black Nissan pickup truck was on the makai shoulder of the highway when it made a U-turn into traffic. A large truck heading toward Kahuku swerved and clipped the pickup.
The two victims were thrown from the back of the pickup. The truck's driver, part of the crew working on the movie "Lost" at Kualoa Ranch, was uninjured.
There have been 24 fatalities on Oahu's roads so far this year, compared to 27 at the same time in 2003.