At a news conference this afternoon, officials said a police sergeant was driving toward Kailua on Kalaniana'ole Highway when he noticed a white Ford SUV drive through a red light into the parking lot of the Waimanalo Shopping Center.

The SUV then drove in circles around a service station before pulling back onto Kalaniana'ole Highway, heading in the direction of Makapu'u beach, police said.

The SUV passed the police sergeant going in the opposite direction, police said, and the sergeant at 9:49 p.m. called in a radio report of a reckless vehicle.

The sergeant then turned on his siren and flashing blue lights and made a U-turn to intercept the SUV, police said. As he was making the turn, the sergeant lost sight of the SUV, said Honolulu police Capt. Frank Fujii.

The sergeant proceeded down the highway headed toward Makapu'u when he saw that the SUV had collided with another vehicle at the intersection of Kalaniana'ole Highway and Inoa'ole Street, Fujii said.

The SUV collided with a car carrying Michelle Benevedes, 39, and Racquel Akau, 38, killing both.