Laupāhoehoe Woman Dies of Natural Causes After Pāpaʻikou Car Crash

A Laupāhoehoe woman died of natural causes after crashing her vehicle head-on into the Kaʻieʻie storm bridge guardrail on Highway 19.

The single-vehicle crash occurred on Aug. 1 at approximately 4:50 a.m. According to Hawaii Police Department Jane Lawrence, 63, was traveling southwest in a 2006 Honda Civic when she veered across the centerline.

Lawrence was transported to Hilo Medical Center and initially listed in stable condition. At 5:05 p.m. she was pronounced dead. According to an autopsy report, the 63-year-old died of natural causes that were unrelated to injuries suffered in the crash.

As a result, this crash will not be counted as a traffic-related casualty. The traffic fatality total for the calendar year remains at 12 compared to 13 at this time last year.