Five-car crash blamed on tractor-trailer

Police: Officers investigating reports of reckless driving

By LILA FUJIMOTO, Staff Writer
OLOWALU — A semitrailer truck, which reportedly was being driven recklessly, rear-ended a vehicle Tuesday afternoon on Honoapiilani Highway to set off a five-vehicle collision that kept traffic in and out of West Maui backed up late into the night, police said.

Seven people were transported by ambulance to Maui Memorial Medical Center after the crash, which was reported at 4:17 p.m. near Olowalu Village, said Capt. Charles Hirata, commander of the Lahaina Patrol District. He said the injuries were reportedly not life-threatening.

“It could have been a lot worse, “ Hirata said. “The most important thing is nobody was killed.”

At 4:12 p.m. Tuesday, about five minutes before the crash was reported, police were responding to a report of a blue tractor-trailer that was speeding and crossing a double-solid line to overtake several vehicles on the highway near Dickenson Street in Lahaina town.

Witnesses reported seeing the tractor-trailer going off the roadway and swerving into oncoming traffic, Hirata said. Traffic Sgt. Barry Aoki and Lahaina patrol officer Eduardo Bayle made checks in the area but did not locate the tractor-trailer.

Aoki was on the scene of the crash about one minute after it occurred, involving the same tractor-trailer, Hirata said.

He said the 1989 Peterbilt truck, which was heading toward Maalaea, clipped the rear end of a 1990 Toyota pickup truck that was heading in the same direction and stopped in traffic at Olowalu. The tractor-trailer continued forward, running into a 2005 Honda Accord four-door sedan, which was pushed into a 2000 Dodge Durango, Hirata said.

He said the Durango swerved to try to avoid a collision with a 2008 GMC multipurpose vehicle, which spun as it was pushed into the makai guardrail. The Durango flipped over on its side.

A 34-year-old Kahului man was driving the tractor-trailer, which ended up across the highway on the northbound shoulder, Hirata said.

“When you have a large vehicle like that, you have added responsibility because of the widespread injuries and damage you can cause,” Hirata said. “That’s why rules and licensing requirements are a lot stricter for vehicles like that.”

The tractor-trailer driver was among those transported to the hospital, with Lahaina firefighters and five medic units responding to the scene.

Three of the four occupants of the Honda, driven by a 27-year-old Pukalani man, suffered injuries. A 48-year-old Haiku man driving the Durango and his 34-year-old passenger also were injured, as was a 45-year-old Waiehu man driving the GMC multipurpose vehicle.

A 25-year-old Kihei man driving the Toyota pickup wasn’t injured, police said.

Four tow companies were called to remove the damaged vehicles.

Both lanes of the highway were closed from 4:17 to 5:09 p.m. until debris could be removed from the road, police said. Traffic was allowed through on one lane in alternating directions at 10-minute intervals until the road could be reopened at 6:12 p.m.

Hours after the collision, traffic was backed up in both directions, with the line of Maalaea-bound vehicles reaching into Lahaina town at 8 p.m. Tuesday.

Police on Wednesday were continuing their investigation of the incident.

• Lila Fujimoto can be reached at lfujimoto@mauinews.com.