Man dies after crashing into tree off Pali

By Walter Wright
Advertiser Staff Writer

A man was killed early today when he crashed into a huge tree off the Pali Highway.

Police said the man was alive and pinned in the car for some time before other motorists saw the wreck. He had a pulse when first found at 5:30 a.m., but was pronounced dead at the scene before police arrived a few minutes later, Sgt. John Agno said.

Agno said no identification was found on the man, and his identity was not immediately known. He appeared to be in his mid-30s to mid-40s.

He was driving a tan 1993 four-door Jeep Cherokee registered to a Honolulu area resident, but the connection between the driver and the owner of the car had not been established.

He was not wearing a seat belt.

The car was travelling Kailua bound on the Pali Highway when it left the pavement and crashed head-on into a tree about 5 feet in diameter, at a point one-tenth of a mile past the intersection of Nu'uanu Pali Drive.

The force of the collision collapsed the front end of the vehicle in a U-shape, and the extent of the damage indicated it may have been travelling at or near the 45 mph speed limit at the time, Agno said.

"The driver may have fallen asleep, or may have had trouble with the vehicle, or may have been forced off the road," he said. There were no skid marks found at the scene, indicating that the car did not brake before hitting the tree.

Agno said another officer heading townbound on the highway at about 5 a.m. did not see the vehicle, but may have missed it in the dark if the collision had already occurred.

The driver was initially reported to be in critical condition, but was pronounced dead at the scene a short time later before being extricated from the vehicle, Agno said.

"If there were witnesses, we would ask them to call our Traffic Division at 529-3499, and ask for myself or Officer Bush," he said.

The fatality was the 73rd traffic fatality on O'ahu so far this year, compared to 62 by this time last year.

Reach Walter Wright at wwright@honoluluadvertiser.com or 525-8054.