Elderly pedistrian killed crossing Likelike Highway

A 79-year-old Kalihi woman died after she was hit by a vehicle while crossing Likelike Highway near Kalihi Street this morning.

Paramedics treated the woman at the scene and took her to the hospital, where she was pronounced dead a short time later, said Bryan Cheplic, spokesman for the city's Department of Emergency Services.

The crash occurred just before 5:30 a.m. when it was still dark and the road was wet from rain, police said.  A gray-colored 2008 Toyota all-purpose vehicle traveling mauka on the highway struck the woman who was crossing the highway in the Koko Head direction , police said. The woman had almost made it across the highway in a marked cross walk when she hit in the right lane, police said. The woman may have crossed under a red or yellow signal, police said.

The driver of the vehicle, a 28-year-old Kalihi man, was not injured and agreed to a blood test. It is not known yet if speed, alcohol or drugs were factors in the crash.

Police shut down the Kaneohe-bound lanes of the highway between Kalihi Street and Gulick Avenue to investigate the accident. The road re-opened at 7:47 a.m.

This was the 55th traffic death on Oahu roads this year, compared to 49 at this time in 2009.

The woman is also the 19th pedestrian killed in a traffic crash this year.