Texas Woman Dies as Result of Hilo Crash

Big Island Now stock photo. June 2016.

An 88-year-old Texas resident died following a three-vehicle crash Wednesday afternoon, March 15, in Hilo.

She was identified as Thelma J. McLamore of San Antonio.

Responding to a 5:04 p.m. call, police determined that a 2003 Toyota truck was traveling southbound on Kanoelehua Avenue near the Kekūanāoʻa Street intersection when it rear-ended a 2017 Ford sedan and then the Toyota sideswiped a 2017 Nissan SUV vehicle.

The woman, the back seat passenger of the sedan, was taken to the Hilo Medical Center for her injuries and medevaced to the Queen’s Medical Center in Honolulu where she later died. She was pronounced dead on March 21 at 11:30 a.m.

An autopsy has been ordered to determine the exact cause of death.

The driver of the sedan, a 58-year old woman from Pearland, Texas, was transported to the Hilo Medical Center for treatment for her injuries and later released.

The driver of the SUV, a 49-year old Hilo resident, was not injured.

The driver of the truck, 30-year old Pāhoa man, was arrested and charged for Operating a Vehicle Under the Influence of an Intoxicant, Driving with a Revoked License and No Motor Vehicle Insurance.

The Area I Traffic Enforcement Unit has initiated a Negligent Homicide investigation.

Police ask anyone who witnessed the crash to call Officer Keith Nacis at 961-8119 Tipsters who prefer to remain anonymous may call the islandwide Crime Stoppers at 961-8300.

This is the sixth traffic fatality this year compared with five at this time last year.