Hawaii teen critical after highway crash
By Gordon Y. K. Pang and John Windrow
Advertiser Staff Writers
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A McKinley High School football player was in critical condition yesterday after an early-morning accident at the School Street off-ramp of the H-1 Freeway.
He was taken to The Queen's Medical Center, said police Capt. Evan Ching of the Traffic Division.
McKinley Coach Bobby Grey identified him as Jeremiah Fetu, 17, a senior and his starting fullback.
Grey said Fetu, who lives with his family at Mayor Wright Homes, was in a coma and it was "too early to tell," but the outlook was optimistic.
"They're the most worried about his head injury," Grey said.
Police said it appeared that Fetu, who was driving a beige 1993 Ford Explorer, was heading westbound when he lost control and veered off the School Street off-ramp, plunging about 20 feet back onto the freeway. The Explorer then collided with a navy blue Lincoln Aviator.
A guardrail was torn off and a chain-link fence ripped down where the Explorer appeared to have gone through.
A 21-year-old man who was a passenger in the Explorer was taken to Kuakini Medical Center in stable condition. A 28-year-old woman who was driving the Aviator was taken to Kuakini in stable condition, Ching said.
Grey called Fetu, who won honorable mention recognition from the O'ahu Interscholastic Association coaches, "a natural leader."
"He was a prankster, a jokester who was always making everyone laugh," Grey said, "great to be around."
He said this was the first year Fetu had played.
"It was awesome being able to coach him."
The Explorer was on its roof when police arrived, and one man was pinned under it. It was not clear whether the Explorer landed on its roof or if it flipped after impact with the Aviator, Ching said.
The two-car accident at 2:27 a.m. closed the H-1 westbound until 6:20 a.m. Traffic was diverted off the freeway at the Vineyard Boulevard off-ramp.
Ching said the road was slippery at the time of the accident and urged drivers to drive slower during bad weather.
Reach Gordon Y.K. Pang at 954-0688 or at gpang@honoluluadvertiser.com.
Advertiser staff writer Suzanne Roig contributed to this report.Reach John Windrow at jwindrow@honoluluadvertiser.com.
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