Single-vehicle crash in Pāhoa leaves 1 woman dead

A single-vehicle crash in Pāhoa left a 49-year-old woman dead late Wednesday evening.

Hawai‘i police responded to the crash in the area of Kahakai Boulevard and Welea Street at approximately 10:13 p.m. When they arrived on scene, they found the victim unresponsive. She was taken to Hilo Medical Center where she was pronounced dead at 1:33 a.m.

Through the course of their investigation, police learned the woman was traveling makai in a 2011 Mazda sedan on Kahakai Boulevard when she did not negotiate the right curve onto Welea Street at the dead end. The vehicle instead ran off the left side of the roadway and into a rock wall. The roadway was dry at the time of the collision. She was the sole occupant of the vehicle.

Police have determined that speed and inattention are the two primary factors in the outcome of this collision. The East Hawaii Traffic Enforcement Unit has initiated a coroner’s inquest investigation, which is pending. Further investigation will be conducted relative to any additional contributing factors.

An autopsy has been ordered to determine the exact cause of death. The woman will remain unidentified pending positive identification and notification of his next of kin.

Police are asking for anyone who may have witnessed the crash or who has information about it, to contact Officer Jared Cabatu at 808-961-2339 or via email at Jared.Cabatu@HawaiiCounty.gov. Tipsters who prefer to remain anonymous may call Crime Stoppers at 808-961-8300.

This is the 31st fatal traffic collision of 2022 compared to 20 fatal traffic collisions during this same time period last year.