A 48-year-old Waikoloa man died Friday night after a three-vehicle collision on Waikoloa Road
A 48-year-old Waikoloa man died Friday night after a three-vehicle collision on Waikoloa Road
He’s been identified as Wayne Lopaka Keikekanehaenalu Awai.
Officers responding to a 7:01 p.m. call determined that a white 1990 Isuzu pickup driven by Awai crossed crossed double-solid yellow lines about 1/10 mile mauka of the 2-mile marker and sideswiped a makai-bound white 2018 Jeep Wrangler driven by a 63-year-old California man. Awai’s pickup then collided head-on with a blue 2015 Mazda sedan driven by a 36-year-old Kailua-Kona woman, police said.
The woman was taken to North Hawaii Community Hospital for treatment. Neither the Jeep driver nor his passenger, a 53-year-old California woman, were injured.
Awai was taken to Kona Community Hospital, where he was pronounced dead at 10:48 p.m.
Police don’t think speed was a factor in the collision.
A coroner’s inquest investigation has been opened and witnesses are asked to call the Kona Traffic Enforcement Unit at 326-4646 ext. 229.
Awai’s death is the sixth traffic fatality this year compared to two at this time last year.
