Kailua, HI – A fatal crash occurred on Pali Highway early this morning, resulting in the death of a 16-year-old girl.
At approximately 6 a.m., Honolulu police reported that the teen lost control of her vehicle while driving at a high rate of speed on the Kailua-bound side. The vehicle struck a concrete barrier, became airborne, and fell about 50 feet into a ravine, subsequently skidding and igniting upon impact with an embankment.
The Honolulu Fire Department received a 911 call at 6:15 a.m. reporting a car on fire. Five units, staffed by 19 personnel, extinguished the blaze by 6:26 a.m. After stabilizing the vehicle, firefighters found no occupants inside. A search of the area led to the discovery of an unresponsive female in the brush below the embankment. Honolulu Emergency Medical Services pronounced her dead at the scene.
Authorities confirmed the girl was not wearing a seat belt during the collision, and no other injuries were reported. The Kailua-bound lanes of Pali Highway were closed to facilitate the ongoing investigation, with motorists advised to seek alternate routes.
The Honolulu Police Department's Traffic Division indicated that speed may have contributed to the incident, and the investigation is assessing the potential involvement of drugs or alcohol. This marks Oahu's 20th traffic fatality of the year, compared to 38 at the same time last year, according to police.