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Alcohol, speed suspected in head-on collision that killed 2

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COURTESY HAWAII NEWS NOW

A two-vehicle accident in Kahaluu Thursday night left two people dead and one in serious condition.

Police opened a negligent homicide investigation after a 21-year-old man driving a pickup truck crossed the center line on Kamehameha Highway in Kahaluu late Thursday night and collided head-on with a Corvette, killing two people.

Police said the 21-year-old man driving a 1991 Toyota white pickup truck was speeding and may have been intoxicated when the accident occurred.

Police said a female passenger in the 1986 red Corvette died at the scene near Waiahole Homestead Road following the collision that occurred just before midnight.

The driver of the Corvette, a man in his 50s, was on his way to Queen’s Medical Center in extremely critical condition when he died.

The Toyota truck was traveling towards Kahaluu on Kamehameha Highway when it crossed the center line and slammed into the Corvette, which was heading towards Kailua.

The 21-year-old truck driver is in serious condition.

The crash marked Oahu’s 23rd and 24th traffic deaths, compared to 27 a year ago.

Police closed Kamehameha Highway for five hours between Waiahole Homestead Road and Waiahole Valley Road to investigate the accident.

49 responses to “Alcohol, speed suspected in head-on collision that killed 2”

  1. kiragirl says:

    Two innocent lives taken away from an irresponsible driver suspected of drinking. My deepest sympathy and prayers for those two and their family. Sad.

  2. palani says:

    I was right behind the tow truck hauling the corvette away this morning around 5am. It was a mangled mess.

  3. lokela says:

    Heard it was the young kid who was the perp. You wonder why it’s a high percentage that the perps who cause these accidents always live and the innocent die.

  4. Pocho says:

    We need stricter Liquor control Laws. No different the Democrats wanting more gun laws

  5. allie says:

    sounds like an avoidable accident. RIP This area seems to have more than its share of deadly auto accidents and tragedies of various kinds.

  6. Bdpapa says:

    All preventable!

  7. steve76 says:

    Big law suit !!!

    • Shawn211 says:

      It may be a big law suit, but in most cases these people being sued just don’t have any assets or money to come good on the judgment of the courts.

      • tygah says:

        True dat. No job, no property, no nothing to the victim’s families. Courts let them off with 30 days in jail. Oh, maybe 60 days cause two innocent died. It’s 30 days per life taken.

  8. KWAY says:

    this pun k kid needs to be hung from that utility pole. throw the book at him

    • RetiredWorking says:

      lokela and KWAY, do you have your story straight before you denigrate the young Corvette driver who died in the crash? According to KITV a few minutes, the driver in the white truck crossed the solid road line, causing the crash? What say you guys now?

      • Mr. Luke says:

        Examples of having a pre-conceived idea of who to blame. Pretty common with these stories.

        • primo1 says:

          The 21 yr. old who was driving the pickup crossed the centerline and caused the deaths of the two occupants of the Corvette. That is a fact not a preconception.

      • LKK56 says:

        RW, you cannot be more right. People convict base on what they read in the newspaper and watch on TV. Why can’t the post be more positive? My condolences to those who past.

        • aomohoa says:

          Frequently all the facts aren’t out there because the media just wants to get it out there first, ahead of any other media.

        • saveparadise says:

          LKK, Is there anything positive about a drunk 21 year old killing 2 people in a head on collision?

      • hawaii_kai_guy says:

        Hawaiinewsnow has the most comprehensive coverage as of now. 21 yr old kid was driving the truck that crossed the center line hitting and killing both occupants of the corvette.

      • saveparadise says:

        Retired, You should stay retired. The Corvette driver was the 50 something year old. The intoxicated 21 year old was the driver of the white truck that crossed over the lanes to pass according to KFVE. What you say now? Get back to work and stop posting on State time.

        • RetiredWorking says:

          saveparadise, you are foolishly presuming that I’m at work now. What a piece of work. Today’s my day off. If you don’t know, you shouldn’t put your foot in your mouth for the umpteenth time.

        • RetiredWorking says:

          saveparadise, when I retire in a few years, I will dedicate the satisfaction of receiving my pension check to you. I also dedicate the joy of receiving today’s paycheck to your discomfort. I always get a kick when you remark about me posting on work time. Okay, here’s my work schedule: I work 10 hours daily. I’m off every Friday, so I get a three-day weekend 52 weeks a year. This will probably be until the day I retire. He who laughs last, laughs best…..lol.

      • primo1 says:

        Neither lokela or KWAY implicated the driver of the Corvette as causing the accident. Also the 21 yr. old was the driver of the truck, not the Corvette. Perhaps you should get the story straight before you comment.

      • lowtone123 says:

        The driver of the Corvette was 50. I think the young driver they are referring to was indeed the driver in the truck.

      • KWAY says:

        RetiredThinking, eh LOLO, it was on the two newscasts last night that that no good kid was positively ID’d as the driver of the pickup truck that was speeding and crossing double lines before he struck and killed the two innocent people in the corvette. Just because you dont know whats happening in the world beyond the end of your nose doesnt mean nobody else does. What are you , the comments chief editor?

        • RetiredWorking says:

          KWAY, actually I’m like you, posting meaningless comments in the newspapers.

      • nodaddynotthebelt says:

        I think you need to read the article as the driver of the Corvette was a man in his 50’s.

  9. hywnsytl says:

    Look how close the utility pole is to the road, how is this a safe place for something that does not break? How many lives and accidents are we going to see on the north shore and east shore without the DOT/HEI company placing poles further away from the road or putting up rails to deflect collision. Regardless i it is driver error those poles are to close to a road at the speed and many turns.

    • ukuleleblue says:

      Driving is a skill that requires all our faculties to negotiate all types of roads and possible hazards. If the road was inherently dangerous we would see accidents every day at the same spot. When drivers are impaired as from being drunk or overly tired, they are not driving but rather just aiming the car at the road. An impaired driver doesn’t really see the road and will eventually hit something or someone as the car doesn’t steer itself. Find a designated driver if you have been drinking alcohol.

      • SomebodyElse says:

        Do they know he was drunk? Did they take bloo or did he blow? I’d hate to see this go down as another slap on the wrist bevause the state can’t prove he was drunk, but instead just tired and fell asleep at the wheel. Very sorry for the needless loss of life. Perhaps we need some form of ignition lock technology incorporated into our vehicles as well as invrease the penalties for drunk driving (lose your license for life) as well as change the laws on searches after an accident or excessive speeding ticket.

        • pohaku96744 says:

          Blood draw. Required after accident(state law) and driver was sent to the hospital. In this case the 21 year old went, serious condition. Officers at the hospital will request based on accident. Automatic that the beat officer will be dispatched to hospital, request blood draw to secure sample for investigators. Will take a few days for results. This is why sometimes drivers are released pending charges. Police can hold for 48 hours then charge, not charge, release, release pending charges OR go grand jury.

      • allie says:

        agree with uku

    • AhiPoke says:

      HUH??? Are you blaming the utility poles because they caused a drunk driver to crossed the center line and crashed into an oncoming car? Really??? Only a defense attorney could come up with something so ridiculous. Are you an attorney?

      • hywnsytl says:

        not an attorney but instead a person who does not see a purpose of having an unbreakable pole of a private company so close to the roadway. Too many lives have perished on this side of the island. Most people assume humans are flawed and most roads are made that way. That is why there are things called guard rails!!!!!!!!!!! SHould we take down the gaurd rails on the LIKE LIKE ,PALI,H3?

        • peum says:

          You sound like someone who always looks for something or someone else to blame. Makes me wonder if you take any kind of responsibility for yourself. Fact is, traffic accidents are mainly caused by distracted a**hats doing something else when all they should be doing is DRIVING.

    • Bdpapa says:

      Space is limited on the shoulder of those roads!

    • ryan02 says:

      Hawaii could have required utility poles to be placed underground, but it didn’t (because HECO controls the politicians). Just another stupid decision this State has made in its long, long, long history of stupid decisions.

      • TigerEye says:

        So, just because someone throws in a sideways comment about utility poles, suddenly the story isn’t about a drunk who crossed the centerline in his truck and caused a head on collision?

  10. saveparadise says:

    My dream car is a black Z06 Corvette…used of course due to price. Seeing the wet road in the picture and knowing the Corvettes ability to swing the rear end with a touch of the gas pedal I was jumping to conclusions. Condolences to the boomers that were enjoying their dream car and life was cut short. May the perp receive a living hell.

  11. samidunn says:

    He’ll be back on the roads in a week or two.

    • sailfish1 says:

      I hope that this doesn’t go before judge Garibaldi. She just gave a 30 day jail sentence to a guy who drove off the road and killed a lady and seriously injured the lady’s granddaughter. A most ridiculous sentence.

  12. 2liveque says:

    Young men take note. This is why your insurance rates are the highest for any age group. Even if you never got a ticket in your life, your rates will be higher than anyone else. And even more expensive than that if you drive a truck or a honda civic. Blame your dumb ass peers. I refuse to dismiss cases such as this as youthful indiscretion. You took two lives. And now you will pay dearly for it.

  13. wrightj says:

    If possible, only drive in the daytime; less drunks on the road.

  14. W_Williams says:

    Sad senseless deaths.

    One more thing: sad that you folks donʻt know that Waiahole Valley Road is in Waiahole, not Kahala`u. There are signs that tell you which ahupuaa is which.

  15. Publicbraddah says:

    Apparently the message has not been strong enough. As long as the punishment is not strong enough, some people will just not get it. Regardless of whether the offender has previous offenses or not, the punishment must be strong enough to make people think twice. Public service announcements, tougher judges, and a stronger Prosecutor’s office would go a long way to send the message to the public.

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