Oahu saw its fifth traffic fatality of 2009 on Tuesday night after an accident that police suspect involved alcohol and excessive speed.

  Wahiawa Accident Claim’s Man’s Life

 

  A late night car crash in Wahiawa claims the life of 29-year-old, Daniel Shelton. 

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There are at least two confirmed cases during the first week of the year in which the drivers were under the influence.

At about 9:20 p.m. Tuesday, 29-year-old Daniel A. Shelton of Wahiawa was driving a 2001 Volkswagen Golf east on California Avenue in Wahiawa near the Iliwai Drive intersection when he lost control and struck a guardrail.

Police said the car struck with such force that it severed the guardrail, which landed in the roadway. Two vehicles hit it, causing minor damage to both.

Shelton was pronounced dead at the scene. The front passenger, a 28-year-old man, was taken to the Queen's Medical Center in critical condition but has since been released. The rear passenger, a 24-year-old man, was hospitalized in good condition.

Police believe excessive speed and alcohol were factors in the crash, resulting in the fifth fatality for 2009, compared with two at this time last year.

On Sunday a 50-year-old man died from his injuries after a bicycle he was riding was struck by a vehicle Saturday evening near Turtle Bay Resort. He has not been identified pending notification of kin.

There were three traffic deaths on New Year's Day, two of which are confirmed to have involved driving under the influence.

Michael Galutira, 29, of Ewa Beach had a blood-alcohol content of 0.195, above the legal limit of 0.08, according to the city Medical Examiner's Office.

At about 8 p.m. last Thursday, he was riding a motorcycle on Kupuna Loop in Waipahu when he lost control at a turn and hit a parked truck.

Less than three hours later, Wayne Medeiros, 36, of Honolulu was seen speeding on Kamehameha Highway. When he was stopped by police, Medeiros tried to flee but ended up crashing his motorcycle on Waipahu Street.

Medeiros was initially suspected by police of using alcohol, but a toxicology report by the city Medical Examiner's Office showed he was on crystal methamphetamine.

The first fatal accident killed Patricia Kekoolani-Tully, whose son was driving on Likelike Highway at about 4 a.m. last Thursday when he lost control and crashed.

Police said alcohol is a possible factor in that crash. However, officials declined to comment on whether the driver had taken a blood-alcohol test.