The Honolulu Police Department's vehicle homicide section has opened a hit-and-run investigation following an early morning accident near the Honolulu International Airport in which a van struck a Mustang, critically injuring one of two men outside the Mustang and seriously injuring the other man and a woman passenger.

The accident happened yesterday on Nimitz Highway between Ohohia Street and Lagoon Drive. According to investigators, the two men, ages and 34 and 18, both from Hickam Air Force Base, were attaching a motorcycle trailer to the back of the Mustang, which was parked to the right of the westbound side of the highway approximately two-tenths of a mile west of Ohohia Street.

At around 3:40 a.m., a speeding westbound gold 2002 Chevrolet van rammed into the rear of the Mustang, motorcycle and trailer hitch, striking the two men and injuring the woman passenger in the Mustang before veering to the right and slamming into a highway sign.

The unidentified driver of the van then ran away, failing to render aid to the injured people, police said.

According to Emergency Medical Services personnel, the older man was taken to The Queen's Medical Center in critical condition. The younger man and the woman passenger were at Queen's in serious condition.

Police are looking for the driver of the van. Speed is considered a factor, but it's not known if alcohol was involved. Police ask anyone with information to call 529-3499.

Reach Will Hoover at whoover@honoluluadvertiser.com.