Fatality closes freeway for 3 1/2 hours

By Rod Ohira
Advertiser Staff Writer

Thousands of morning commuters into Honolulu were late to work today after police closed the townbound lanes of H-1 Freeway near the Punchbowl Street off-ramp for nearly 3 1/2 hours to investigate the death of a woman who fell from the Queen Emma Street overpass.

Traffic was rerouted onto Vineyard Boulevard from 5:25 to 8:45 a.m., police said.

As a result, traffic was backed up in several directions, including eastbound lanes on H1 and townbound lanes on both Likelike and Pali highways.

Near the Kamehameha Shopping Center, the delay was estimated at 35 minutes for some motorists.

"There was a domino effect," state Department of Transportation spokesman Scott Ishikawa said. "As people got word the H-1 was shut down, they took alternate routes and found them clogged as well."

Ishikawa estimated motorists today spent an hour more in traffic on their morning commute.

The woman, 44, may have been struck by a car on the freeway, police said. The 35-year-old female driver of the car pulled off to the side and waited for police.

Three other cars, meanwhile, were involved in a collision nearby, worsening traffic problems in the area. No serious injuries were reported from that collision.

Traffic was still heavy in the area more than an hour after the freeway lanes were reopened.

Police have classified the case for now as an unattended death case, said Maj. Bryan Wauke of the Traffic Division, and are asking anyone who may have witnessed it to call CrimeStoppers at 955-8300 or *CRIME on cell phones.

An autopsy will be performed. The medical examiner's office has tentatively identified the woman but is not releasing her name until the next of kin is notified.