A sedan flees after causing a pickup truck carrying a dozen farm workers to swerve into another vehicle, police say

Police know this much about yesterday's head-on collision that killed four women on Kunia Road: The person who allegedly started the chain of events was driving a light-blue or silver-colored four-door sedan and left without rendering aid.

So far, police have questioned one man, a 46-year-old who denied being at the scene of the 7:30 a.m. accident. Now, police and CrimeStoppers are urging any witnesses to come forward.

"We are looking for witnesses to put this car there," CrimeStoppers Coordinator Kim Capllonch said.

Capllonch would not speculate as to what charges the driver could face, whether failure to render aid, fleeing the scene of an accident, negligent homicide or negligent injury.

The identities of the dead and eight injured have not been released, but all of them worked on Larry Jefts Farm, just a short distance north from the accident site.

According to police, the sedan was in a line of vehicles heading toward Wahiawa near Anonui Street, the entrance to the Royal Kunia subdivision, when it moved into the Waipahu-bound lane to overtake another vehicle.

That move put the sedan straight into the path of a maroon pickup truck carrying a dozen farm workers traveling in the opposite direction.

Police said the pickup swerved into the Wahiawa-bound lane and crashed into an Island Ready-Mix Concrete truck. The four women were ejected from the truck bed and pronounced dead at the scene.

The 28-year-old woman who was driving the pickup was in serious condition, police said. One male and one female were in critical condition.

The 34-year-old concrete truck driver was not injured. Two males were treated and released at the scene.

The pickup truck was likely on its way to a tomato farm in Ewa, said Carlos Ponciponci, a welder at the farm who was at the accident scene yesterday afternoon. He said he did not know the workers, but added, "I know that truck."

Farm employees and Jefts declined comment.

Police said speed is a possible factor in the collision. The two-lane highway slows from 45 mph to 35 mph in the area of the accident.

A farmer at a neighboring farm said drivers often speed 60 to 70 mph. And when he tries to turn left onto Kunia Road from his farm road, some cars stop, but "some pass around. Too much speeding," Khamphout Chandara said.

When asked if it was dangerous for the farm workers to be riding in the back of the truck, Chandara's son, Jimmy, said, "Farmers, they drive safe."

He said that he frequently sees accidents on Kunia Road. "Especially the military -- they fly on this road. They be always in a rush, military people."

And drivers always are in a rush to go to work, he said.

Witnesses reported seeing a light-blue or silver sedan drive into Schofield Barracks, and military officials assisted Honolulu police.

This accident brings the number of Oahu traffic fatalities this year to 35, compared with 25 at the same time last year.

State law prohibits children 12 years old and younger from riding in truck beds, but Rep. Barbara Marumoto introduced a bill last year that would prohibit anyone from riding in the bed of pickup trucks.

"It's not safe for anyone to ride in a pickup bed. It's designed for cargo, not people, and it's easy to get thrown out. In event of a collision, you have bodies flying out," said Marumoto (R, Kalani Valley-Diamond Head).

Anyone with information on the accident may call police at 529-3499. Anonymous calls may be made to CrimeStoppers at 955-8300, or dial *CRIME on a cell phone.