Posted at 11 a.m., Wednesday, August 1, 2001

Stolen car's driver killed in collision

By Brandon Masuoka
Advertiser Staff Writer

A stolen car that was being followed by police crashed in Waikele today, killing the teenage driver.

Police closed Lumiaina Street near Waikele shopping center for about six hours.

The driver, who has not been identified, was thrown from the car and pronounced dead at the scene, police said.

Police said a woman called them at midnight to report that her white 1992 Honda Civic hatchback was stolen from her Waipio townhouse complex on Pa'aono Street. About five minutes later, a police officer spotted the car on Kamehameha Highway and followed the car as it turned left onto Lumiaina Street.

Moments later, the car crashed into a light pole and traffic signal pole when the driver tried to turn right from Lumiaina Street onto Pulelo Street, police said. Police said the stolen car was traveling above the 25 mph speed limit.

The crash is under investigation. Police would not immediately say how fast police and the stolen car were traveling during the pursuit, the duration of the pursuit, or if the pursuit had been called off.

It was O'ahu's 42nd traffic fatality this year. There were 39 traffic fatalities during the same period last year.