A 19-year-old woman was critically injured Monday morning after the car she was driving crossed into oncoming traffic on Honoapiilani Highway in West Maui and hit two other vehicles.
The woman was ejected from the vehicle. She was taken to Maui Memorial Hospital after the 8:30 a.m. accident. Police closed the roadway near mile post 17 for more than three hours. The thoroughfare was reopened at midday.
According to Maui County’s Department of Fire and Public Safety, shortly before the crash the sedan was spotted moving erratically in the southbound lane. Then it crossed into oncoming traffic and collided with a commercial truck in the northbound lane.
A passenger vehicle in the northbound lane was also sideswiped. No other injuries were reported.
Stand-up paddler rescued from rough seas
Maui rescue crews came to the aid of a stand-up paddler who got into trouble in high winds and choppy seas Monday.
At about 1:30 p.m. crews from Lahaina and Canoe Beach responded to a report of a paddler in distress off Ukumehame, fire Capt. Paul Haake said by email.
Firefighters, searching from shore, spotted the victim about 600 yards from shore and guided a Jet Ski operator to him.
The paddler, a young male visitor from New Zealand, was brought to shore by Jet Ski and reunited with his mother. No medical attention was necessary.
Suspicious parcel leads post office to close
The main post office near Honolulu Airport underwent a brief closure Monday morning due to an investigation of a suspicious package in the mail processing plant.
A few dozen people from the post office’s administration building and more than 100 people from the processing plant were evacuated at about 9 a.m., said Duke Gonzales, spokesman for the U.S. Postal Service in Honolulu.
Postal officials closed the post office and blocked off the parking lot entrance.
Some customers were disappointed because they were anxious to ship packages, said Gonzales.
Shortly before 10:30 a.m., Gonzales said, they reopened the post office and the other buildings after it was determined the package did not pose a threat.
