Man arrested in connection with Kaaawa moped crash
Honolulu police have arrested a 28-year-old man in connection with Sunday’s deadly moped crash in Kaaawa.
Police said the man turned himself in at the Pearl City Police Station Monday afternoon where he was arrested on suspicion of collisions involving death or serious bodily injury. He was released pending investigation.
Police said a Honda moped operated by a 19-year-old man was traveling southbound on Kamehameha Highway with a group of about seven moped riders just before 2 p.m. Sunday. The operator of a white-colored moped, for unknown reasons, may have applied the brakes, causing a rear-end collision.
As a result of the impact, the Honda moped rider lost control and flipped over the handle bars. Police said he landed in the path of a Kia multi-purpose vehicle driven by a 61-year-old man traveling northbound.
The moped rider was taken in critical condition to a hospital where he later died. It’s unknown whether he was wearing a helmet at the time of the crash.
The Honolulu Medical Examiner’s Office identified the 19-year-old rider as Thomas A. Chang of Honolulu.
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The Kia driver and his two passengers were not injured.
Police said speed, drugs or alcohol were not factors in the crash.
The deadly moped crash was one of two traffic-related fatalities that occurred on Oahu over the Memorial Day holiday weekend.
A 57-year-old semi-truck driver died at Campbell Industrial Park Monday after he crashed into an unoccupied parked vehicle on Hanua Street at about 4:30 a.m., police said. The impact caused the semi-truck’s load to slide forward and crush the driver.
The medical examiner’s office identified him as Jimmy M. Takushi of Waipahu.
Speed, alcohol and drugs were not factors in the crash.