Three die, four badly injured in collision on Maui

By Vicki Viotti
Advertiser Staff Writer

A head-on collision killed three teenage boys Friday night in Wailuku.

The accident left four other people hospitalized with serious injuries.

Maui police were called at 9:18 p.m. to the scene on Honoapi'ilani Highway, 1.8 miles south of Olo Place.

A white 1991 Honda two-door sedan with five teenage boys — believed to have been driven by a 17-year-old Wailuku boy — was heading south on the highway when it crossed the center line and collided with a California couple's Chevrolet Malibu in the northbound lane.

The Honda was torn in half and ended up in the Wailuku-bound lane, police said. The Chevrolet skidded to a halt off the eastern side of highway in a canefield.

Two of the Honda passengers were dead at the scene. Police identified them as Kauilamakahikina Neula, 17, of Kihei, and Joshua Ayonayon, 16, of Wailuku.

Three other boys in that car were taken to Maui Memorial Medical Center and one, age 17, died there. His name was not released last night.

Another 17-year-old boy remained in critical condition last night.

The hospital's nursing supervisor said the fifth youth, a 14-year-old boy, was flown to Tripler Army Medical Center on O'ahu. His condition was not available last night.

It was unknown whether the boys in the Honda were wearing seat belts, said police, who also are investigating whether speed, drugs or alcohol were factors.

The driver of the Chevrolet, a 54-year-old man from Poway, Calif., and his 51-year-old wife, sustained what police described as multiple traumatic injuries and also were taken to Maui Memorial. Hospital officials would say last night only that they were in stable condition.

The couple were wearing their seat belts when the crash occurred.

The accident brings the Maui County fatality total to 15, compared with 17 at this time last year.