Update: Kula Woman Killed in Kanaio Crash on Pi’ilani Hwy

By Wendy Osher

(7:49 p.m. 9/23/11)

A Maui woman suffered fatal injuries in a single-vehicle accident on the Pi’ilani Highway in Kanaio.

Authorities have since identified the woman as Rachelle Kibbee, 29, of Kula.

The accident was reported at 2 p.m. on Friday, September 23, in an area of the highway located East of mile post 17.

Maui police say Kibbee was operating a 2011 Jeep Grand Cherokee when the incident occurred.  Kibbee was traveling West (in the Kula direction) when the vehicle left the roadway and overturned.

Authorities say Kibbee died at the scene.

The accident was the 14th traffic fatality on Maui County roads this year, compared to 10 at the same time last year.

Maui police are investigating speed, drugs and alcohol as possible factors in the crash.

(7:37 p.m. 9/23/11)

The Pi’ilani Highway in Kanaio is now open in both directions.  The road was closed earlier today due to a fatal traffic accident between mile post 16 and 17.

(3:23 p.m. 9/23/11)

Maui police have closed a portion of the Pi’ilani Highway in Kanaio due to a traffic fatality.

The accident was reported at around 3 p.m. on Friday (September 23, 2011) in the area between mile post 16 and 17.  The area is located on the south side of Haleakalā, along the back road to East Maui.

Authorities say the road is closed at the location until further notice.

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In West Maui, emergency responders were dispatched to a separate accident Friday afternoon in the Napili area.

The accident reportedly involved a scooter and vehicle and was located just north of the Napili Kai Beach Resort.

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In Central Maui, medics responded to a traffic accident near Ho’okipa during the 3 p.m. hour.

Motorists reported a slow-down in traffic, with some using Baldwin Avenue as an alternate route to access Ha’iku from Kahului.

Details were not immediately available.