78A 16-year-old girl died and a 4-year-old girl was in critical condition Thursday after an all-terrain vehicle carrying three girls crashed in North Kohala on the Big Island.
Malia Vea, of Kailua-Kona, was driving a Kawasaki ATV when she lost control, overturned and hit a pole at the intersection of Pratt Road and Lokahi Road at 1:18 p.m., police said.
Vea and her 11-year-old sister were taken North Kohala Community Hospital, where Vea died at 2:11 p.m. Her sister was released with minor injuries.
Another passenger, a 4-year-old Kapaau girl, was flown to the North Hawaii Community Hospital and later to the Queen’s Medical Center in critical condition.
The girls were not wearing protective equipment, police said.
Police believe speed may have been a factor in the crash.
Traffic enforcement officers have initiated a coroner’s inquest case and ordered an autopsy to determine the exact cause of death.
