‘ELE‘ELE – A 55-year-old Kalāheo man died this morning, and two others injured, following a traffic crash that occurred on Kaumuali‘i Highway, just east of ‘Ele‘ele.
Police have not yet released the decedent’s name. However, officials have confirmed that he is a county employee.
According to a preliminary investigation, the man was next to a trailer attached to a county pickup truck when the crash occurred at approximately 9:30 a.m. The truck and trailer were parked along the westbound shoulder of Kaumuali‘i Highway, between mile marker 14 and 15.
He and two other county employees were believed to be repairing a tire attached to the parked trailer, when a semi-truck, traveling west on the highway, attempted an abrupt stop due to traffic. The semi-truck then veered off the roadway and collided with the parked trailer.
All three men near the trailer at the time of the crash were injured. One man died as a result of his injuries. The other two men were taken to Kaua‘i Veterans Memorial Hospital with non-life threatening injuries. The driver of the semi-truck did not report any injuries.
Traffic safety investigators closed Kaumuali‘i Highway in both directions for roughly four hours while conducting an on-scene investigation. Traffic was diverted onto Halewili Road until both lanes were reopened at around 2:30 p.m.
The crash remains under police investigation.