Posted on: Tuesday, August 19, 2003

La'ie car crash claims second life

By Rod Ohira
Advertiser Staff Writer

The driver of a car that crashed Saturday night in La'ie near Malaekahana State Park died Sunday at The Queen's Medical Center, bringing to two the number of people killed in the accident.

Micah McGee, 19, of Hau'ula, was pronounced dead at 7:05 p.m. Sunday, according to the medical examiner's office. Jason Idica, 24, of Punalu'u, a passenger in McGee's 2003 Subaru, was pronounced dead at the scene Saturday. Police said the vehicle veered off Kamehameha Highway and struck a utility pole one-fifth of a mile south of Adams Road at 9:40 p.m. A third man, 20, who was in the car is in critical condition at Queen's.

The deaths increased O'ahu's traffic fatality count for the year to 51, compared with 41 at the same time last year. Saturday's was the fifth vehicular crash this year resulting in multiple deaths. Thirteen people have been killed in five crashes, including five on March 18 in Hale'iwa. In addition, two pedestrians were killed when struck by a car June 27 in Wai'anae.

Speed and alcohol were contributing factors in Saturday's crash, police said.

The crash caused an electrical outage that affected 780 customers.