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Head-on crash leaves four adults, child dead and closes highway in Ka‘u


View Highway 11 (54 Mile Marker) in a larger map

By Hawaii 24/7 Staff

Fire/rescue units answered a 10:17 a.m. alarm Wednesday (Jan 23) to the Punaluu Stream Bridge on Highway 11 in the area of the 54 mile marker for a two vehicle high speed head-on crash.

Crews found a Ford F-350 pickup in the Hilo bound lane engulfed in flames and a Nissan Ultima sedan in the Kona bound lane.

Both vehicles had extensive front end damage due to the crash.

Three men and one woman were found dead at the scene, a child – approximately 7 years old – was found in the back seat of the sedan unrestrained and unresponsive.

The child was taken via ambulance then Chopper 2 to Kona Community Hospital.

The highway was closed to traffic in both directions. Police reported the highway open to traffic at 4:20 p.m.

The cause of the crash is under investigation, although authorities indicate speed may have been a factor..

UPDATED POLICE MEDIA RELEASE(1/23/2013 at 5:15 PM)

Five people died Wednesday (January 23) in a two-vehicle crash on Highway 11 .6 of a mile south of the 54-mile marker just south of Pāhala.

Responding to a 10:17 report, Kaʻū District officers determined that a 2012 Nissan four-door sedan was traveling south at the Punaluʻu bridge when it swerved to the left, crossed the center line and crashed head-on into a 2002 Ford pickup truck. The truck overturned and caught fire.

A man and woman in the truck died at the scene, as did a male driver and a male passenger in the sedan. A male child in the sedan was taken to Kaʻū Hospital and then flown to Kona Community Hospital, where he later died.

Identities of the victims are not yet disclosed pending notifications.

Police initiated four negligent homicide cases and a coroner’s inquest case.

The deaths were the third, fourth, fifth, sixth and seventh fatalities so far this year compared with none at this time last year.

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