HAWAII, Hawaii (KHON2) — One woman is dead and five others are seriously injured, including a 3-week-old infant, following a vehicle collision on Daniel K. Inouye Highway on Oct. 23.
The crash happened at approximately 4:34 p.m., Hawaiʻi Police Department said.
HPD responded to a report of a head-on collision near the highway’s 25-mile marker.
Upon arrival, first responders found a pickup truck that had overtook multiple vehicles before hitting an SUV, police said.
The driver of the pickup truck, 43, and five occupants of the SUV were all taken to Hilo Benioff Medical Center, officials said.
One passenger in the back seat of the SUV was found unresponsive at the scene and later pronounced dead, investigators said.
The other five occupants, the 3-week-old infant, a 4-year-old boy, a 17-year-old girl, an 18-year-old female and a 51-year-old male all received serious injuries, police said.
Many of the occupants were medevaced to another hospital. The infant and the young keiki were transported to Kapiʻolani Medical Center for Women and Children on Oʻahu, and the 17-year-old girl was transported to Queen’s Medical Center on Oʻahu, HPD said.
The driver of the pickup truck was arrested on suspicion of multiple crimes, including: driving under the influence, first-degree negligent homicide, multiple counts of negligent injury, driving without a license and more.
He was also medevaced to Queen’s Medical Center, where he is in serious condition.
Anyone with information on the crash is urged to contact Officer Laurence Davis at (808) 961-2391 or at Laurence.David@hawaiipolice.gov. Tips can also be called into HPD’s non-emergency line at (808) 935-3311.
This marks the 19th traffic fatality on the Big Island this year, compared to 25 at the same time last year.