Hilo Collision Claims Life of Teen Driver
HILO, Hawaii — A 17-year-old driver died in a collision on Daniel K. Inouye Highway on June 4 at about 8:30 a.m.
Mackenzie Valentin of Hilo was behind the wheel of a 2003 Toyota 4-Runner, traveling westbound when she lost control while negotiating a curve near mile marker 18. The vehicle hydroplaned into the eastbound lane and collided with a 2024 Ford F-450 commercial truck.
Witnesses reported that the Toyota caught fire, trapping Valentin inside. First responders arrived quickly, extinguishing the flames and transporting her to Hilo Benioff Medical Center, where she was pronounced dead at 11:30 a.m. The driver of the Ford, a 53-year-old man from Kailua-Kona, sustained minor injuries and was also treated at the hospital.
According to authorities, speed and intoxication are not believed to be factors in the crash; however, weather conditions may have contributed. The investigation is ongoing.
In the aftermath of the collision, the Hawaii Department of Transportation declared a traffic emergency zone between mile posts 5.5 and 28, marking this incident as the fifth fatality on the highway this year. Police have indicated increased enforcement in the area.