1 Person in Critical Condition Following Accident That Closed Highway

A portion of Kūhiō Highway in Kīlauea was closed in both directions for two and half hours on Friday following a traffic collision that left one person in critical condition.

The collision occurred at 1:38 p.m. at the intersection of Kūhiō Highway and Pili Road in Kīlauea. An on-scene investigation revealed that a southbound Honda SUV, operated by a 39-year-old female of Kīlauea, attempted to make a left turn onto Pili Road when it was struck by a northbound Kia SUV operated by a 69-year-old male of Kalihiwai.

The 39-year-old female sustained critical injuries and was transported to Wilcox Medical Center and later transferred to Queen’s Hospital on O‘ahu. The 69-year-old male and his two juvenile passengers sustained minor injuries and were transported to Wilcox Hospital.

While speed does not appear to be a factor, blood results are pending to determine if alcohol or drugs were contributing factors.