Kahului man identified, suffers fatal injuries in Iao Valley Road crash

(Updated 2:45 p.m. 2/19/11)

By Wendy Osher

A 26-year-old Maui man suffered fatal injuries following a single-car crash in Wailuku Friday night (February 18, 2011).

Iao Valley. Photo by Wendy Osher.

The man has since been identified as Beau Hiwatashi of Kahului.  Maui Police say the accident was the first traffic fatality of 2011 compared to two at the same time last year.

Hiwatashi was traveling west on Iao Valley Road at around 9:42 p.m., when the 1987 Oldsmobile Cutlass Ciera sedan he was driving went off the roadway and collided with trees on the shoulder.  The accident occurred less than a half mile west of Ua Place.

Hiwatashi was transported to Maui Memorial Medical Center with critical, life-threatening injuries as a result of the crash.   He later died as a result of his injuries.  Maui Police say it appears the man was wearing a seatbelt at the time of the crash.