Posted on: Thursday, September 16, 2004
H-1 driver dies in 3-vehicle crash
By Curtis Lum
Advertiser Staff Writer
A 43-year-old woman was killed and two people seriously injured in a three-vehicle accident yesterday morning on H-1 Freeway near the Makakilo off-ramp.
Debroah Booker • The Honolulu Advertiser The 40-year-old driver of the truck braked but hit the back of the Sentra, Lefcourt said. The collision forced the Sentra into the left lane, where it was broadsided by a Nissan Pathfinder sport utility vehicle.
The two Nissans came to rest against the concrete center median.
The woman was taken to St. Francis Medical Center-West and was pronounced dead at 1:15 p.m., Lefcourt said. Her name was not released yesterday, but she was tentatively identified as a Kapolei resident.
A 44-year-old man who was driving the SUV and his 41-year-old passenger were taken to The Queen's Medical Center in critical condition. The conditions of the two, who police said are from Wai'anae, were upgraded yesterday afternoon to serious condition.
The driver of the semi-truck was not injured, Lefcourt said.
The westbound lanes of the freeway were shut down soon after the accident while police conducted their investigation. The freeway was reopened about 3:30 p.m.
Yesterday's fatality was the 46th so far this year, compared with 55 at the same period last year.
Reach Curtis Lum at culum@honoluluadvertiser.com or 525-8025.
Police said the woman was driving a Nissan Sentra west on H-1 at about 11:35 a.m. when the car went from the center lane to the right lane. Police Capt. Greg Lefcourt said the Sentra slowed "dramatically" and into the path of a semi-truck and trailer.
Police said this Nissan Sentra veered into the path of a large truck that hit it. Then the Sentra was broadsided by an SUV.
