93-Year-Old Woman Dies in Single-Vehicle Traffic Crash

A 93-year-old woman died Tuesday after being involved in a vehicle crash on Monday.

HPD identified the woman as Feliza Padilla of Hilo, a passenger in the single-vehicle crash on Kaiwiki Road.

Officers responded to a 1:18 p.m. call, where they determined that a 68-year-old Michigan woman was operating a 1990 Oldsmobile four-door sedan that was traveling west on the 800 block of Kaiwiki Road. The car ran off the right side of the road and struck a utility pole.

The driver, who was not identified, along with her 71-year-old husband and Padilla, were taken by the Hawai’i County Fire Department to the Hilo Medical Center.

Both the driver and Padilla were later flown to The Queens’ Medical Center.

Padilla died on Tuesday at 6:27 p.m.

Authorities say it is currently unknown if speed was a factor of if the vehicle’s occupants were wearing seat belts.

Alcohol or drug use are not suspected in the case.

A negligent homicide investigation has been initiated by Traffic Enforcement Unit officers and an autopsy has been order to determine the exact cause of death.

Anyone with information about the crash should call Officer Clarence Acob at 961-2293.