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Makaweli boy, 15, dies in truck crash on Kauai

Rosemarie Bernardo

A 15-year-old teen died in an early morning crash on Kauai involving two pickup trucks.

At about 12:40 a.m. today in Lawai, police responded to a crash on Koloa Road near the Puakenikeni Street intersection. A Nissan pickup truck was heading west on the roadway when it struck a rock wall and utility pole along the westbound shoulder. The impact severed the pole and caused the truck to flip over.

Police said the driver, 18 of Kekaha, was transported to Wilcox Hospital with non-life threatening injuries. A 15-year-old passenger, also of Kekaha, was not injured.

A Toyota pickup truck involved in the crash was also traveling westbound on Koloa Road when the driver, 18, allegedly lost control of the vehicle and drove off a cliff along the eastbound shoulder. Police said the truck crashed into a storage warehouse at Lawai Cannery Self Storage.

The front passenger, a 15-year-old boy of Makaweli, was ejected from the vehicle upon impact and died at the scene. Another passenger, 16 of Kekaha, was transported to Wilcox with non-life threatening injuries.

Police said a third passenger, 18, also of Kekaha, was transported to the hospital and medevaced to Queen’s Medical Center.

The Toyota pickup driver who suffered minor injures was treated and released from Wilcox.

Police arrested her on suspicion of first-degree negligent homicide and two counts of first-degree negligent injury. She was released pending investigation.

Speed and alcohol appear to be factors in the crash.

2 responses to “Makaweli boy, 15, dies in truck crash on Kauai”

  1. paniolo says:

    Alcohol? I don’t see anyone listed as 21 or over. Kids will never learn. My deepest ALOHA to the 15-year-old boy’s ohana. 18-year-old driver only minor injuries. Almost always the case.

  2. MillionMonkeys says:

    How did the two trucks interact with each other? We’re they racing, or chasing? Did the first accident cause the second?

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