Maui Man Dies in Pukalani Rollover Crash

Traffic fatality. Graphic by Wendy Osher.

By Maui Now Staff

A 19-year-old Pukalani man was fatally injured during an evening crash on the Old Haleakalā Highway on Monday, March 9, 2015.

Maui police have since identified the man as Jose Vasquez, Jr., and say speed is suspected as a factor in the crash.

The crash was reported at 7:28 p.m., on the Old Haleakalā Highway, about 230 feet below the Aeloa Road intersection in Pukalani.

Police say Vasquez was driving a gray Ford multi-purpose vehicle and was headed mauka on the highway when he lost control of the vehicle.  According to police reports, the vehicle crossed left of the center line and rolled over.

According to police reports Vasquez, Jr. was not wearing a seatbelt and was pronounced dead at the scene.

A 22-year-old man, who was a front seat passenger in the vehicle survived the crash with minor injuries.  Police say the passenger was wearing his seatbelt and was treated and released at the scene.

A preliminary traffic report filed by Acting Sergeant Jonathan Kaneshiro notes that the airbags did not deploy in the crash.  It further states that speed appears to be a factor, and the cause of the crash remains under investigation.

This was Maui County’s first traffic fatality of the year, compared to two at the same time last year.