A 26-year-old 'Ewa Beach man died from injuries suffered in a car crash early yesterday in Mililani.

Police vehicular homicide investigator Sgt. John Agno said the man was driving a 2002 Acura northbound in the left lane of Lanikuhana Avenue in rainy conditions when the car veered left off the roadway and struck a tree. The crash was reported at 4:59 a.m.

The man, who was not wearing a seat belt, died at Wahiawa General Hospital at 5:52 a.m. The medical examiner's office is waiting to confirm his identity before releasing his name.

The car appeared to be speeding but not racing, police said.

The death is O'ahu's sixth traffic fatality of the year and the 12th statewide.

Kaua'i recorded its first traffic fatality of the year yesterday when a National Tropical Botanical Garden worker was killed in what appears to be a weather-related accident, according to police.

Edward Robinson, 75, of Kekaha, was driving a Dodge pickup truck owned by the botanical garden that slid on to the shoulder of a steep, wet service road at the site in Lawa'i Valley and struck a large boulder and guardrail.

A woman passenger in the truck, also a tropical garden employee, suffered head injuries and was taken to Wilcox Hospital.

Three of the other Neighbor Island fatalities have occurred on the Big Island and two on Maui.

Reach Rod Ohira at rohira@honoluluadvertiser.com.