Koloa, Hawaii – A two-car collision on Maluhia Road early Friday morning resulted in one fatality and one injury.
At 4:10 a.m. on March 20, a 2008 Honda sedan traveling northbound crossed the center line while navigating a curve and collided with a 2022 Toyota sport utility vehicle heading south, according to the Kauai Police Department (KPD).
Brandon Nakaahiki, 35, the Honda's driver, sustained fatal injuries. A 33-year-old woman from Koloa, a passenger in the Honda, was seriously injured and transported to Wilcox Medical Center before being airlifted to The Queen's Medical Center in Oahu for further treatment. The 70-year-old driver of the Toyota, a Kapaa resident, was uninjured.
Authorities stated that speed and weather conditions might have contributed to the crash, though it remains unclear if impairment was a factor pending toxicology results.
Maluhia Road was closed in both directions for approximately 2 hours and 45 minutes as KPD's Traffic Safety Section conducted an investigation.
This incident marks the second traffic fatality on Kauai in 2023. Witnesses are urged to contact Officer Henshaw at 808-241-1616. Anonymous tips can be submitted to Crime Stoppers Kauai at 808-246-8300 or through their website.