Posted on: Saturday, June 18, 2005

Police say speeding led to crash that killed Schofield man

By Curtis Lum
Advertiser Staff Writer

Police traffic investigators said speed was a factor in a crash that killed a Schofield Barracks man late Thursday night in Wahiawa.

The 23-year-old Schofield man was the driver of a 1998 Dodge Dakota pickup truck that was struck from behind on Kamehameha Highway about a quarter-mile north of Leilehua Golf Course Road. The accident occurred at about 10:40 p.m. as the Dakota was stopped in the left lane of the northbound lanes, police said.

Police said a 1998 Honda Accord driven by a 28-year-old Wahiawa man was speeding when it rear-ended the Dodge. The impact forced the pickup truck across the grass median, into the southbound lanes and flipped the vehicle over, police said.

The Honda also crossed into the southbound lanes of the highway and crashed into a fence bordering Wheeler Army Air Field, police said.

Both drivers were taken to Wahiawa General Hospital, where the Schofield man was pronounced dead at 11:20 p.m. The other man was in serious condition with head and hand injuries, police said.

The identity of the man who died was not released yesterday.

Also yesterday, police said a 77-year-old Pearl City man who was injured in an accident May 24 has died of his injuries.

Police said Noboru Inouye was attempting to stop his 1989 Nissan Sentra as it rolled down Moanalua Road when he was struck by the car's door. Inouye fell and hit his head, police said.

Inouye was taken to The Queen's Medical Center in good condition, but he died June 9 of his injuries, police said.

The two traffic-related fatalities were the 38th and 39th so far this year on O'ahu, compared with 34 at the same time last year.

Reach Curtis Lum at 525-8025 or culum@honoluluadvertiser.com.