Mayor Dismayed Over Rising Toll of Traffic Deaths

Mayor Michael Victorino expressed dismay after a second victim succumbed to injuries suffered in a three-car crash Sunday night in Kīhei.

The first victim, 49-year-old Mildred Jouvenat of Kīhei, died at the crash scene on Piʻilani Highway, north of Welakahao Road. Her 14-year-old son died Monday afternoon in intensive care at Maui Memorial Medical Center.

“I extend my deepest condolences to the Jouvenat family and all the loved ones of people who’ve lost their lives on Maui’s roadways,” said Mayor Victorino. “Sadly, these are preventable tragedies. Drinking and driving while intoxicated is a recipe for devastating heartbreak in our community.”

“Motorists who drink and get behind the wheel while impaired risk not only their own lives, but also the lives of everyone on the road. I condemn this reckless and inconsiderate behavior,” he said.

A preliminary police investigation points to alcohol as being a factor in the Kīhei crash.

“We must unite as a community to reclaim the safety of our roadways. We can help by immediately reporting suspected impaired or reckless driving and by taking away car keys from anyone who has been drinking and may be impaired,” said Mayor Victorino in a press release statement on Tuesday afternoon.

Mayor Victorino said he and his administration support the Vision Zero Maui initiative, which is a strategy to eliminate all traffic fatalities and severe injuries while increasing safe, healthy and equitable mobility for all.

The most recent traffic deaths are Maui County’s 13th and 14th this year, compared with 10 at this time last year.

Police also pointed toward alcohol as a factor in another recent fatal crash, reported on Sunday, June 23, 2019 on the Kūihelani Highway.  That incident claimed the life of 19-year-old Hannah Brown.

So far this year, there have been 14 traffic fatalities on Maui County roadways.  At least five of the incidents involved pedestrians.  Police have pointed toward alcohol as a factor in several others.  Below is a list of all fatalities reported so far this year in Maui County:

• July 21, 2019: Mother and son suffer fatal injuries in crash on Piʻilani Highway, north of Welakahao Road (Mildred Jouvenat, 49, of Kīhei and her 14-year-old son).
• July 10, 2019: A Maui man suffered fatal injuries in a single vehicle crash in Kahikinui (John Smith, 57, of Kaupō)
• June 23, 2019: Maui Teen Dies in Kūihelani Crash on Maui (Hannah Brown, 19, of Wailuku)
• June 17, 2019: Deadly Hāli‘imaile Crash Claims Life of Texas Woman (Teresa Pham, 39, of Spring Texas)
• May 20, 2019: Deadly Honoapi‘ilani Accident Claims Life of Lahaina Man (Alvarez Barbosa, 69)
• April 28, 2019: 21-Year-Old Dies in Wailea Motorcycle Crash (Cameron Kosman, 21, of Wailuku)
• March 4, 2019: Driver Sought in Fatal Hit-And-Run Pedestrian Crash in Wailea, Maui (James Mallobox, 41)
• March 2, 2019:  Pedestrian Dies After Being Struck by 2 Vehicles (female pedestrian was pronounced dead at the scene)
• Feb. 9, 2019: 71-Year-old Pedestrian Dies, Struck by Vehicle in Makawao (A 71-year-old male pedestrian died)
• Feb. 9, 2019: Pukalani Man Succumbs to Injuries in Kīhei Pedestrian Accident (Brandon M. Wilson, 22, of Pukalani)
• Jan. 7, 2019: A 55-year-old woman was struck by a car while walking across Puʻunēnē Avenue within a marked crosswalk on Jan. 7. (Subsequent reports indicate the woman later died of injuries sustained in the crash).
• Jan. 19, 2019: Pukalani Man Dies in Traffic Accident on Pi‘ilani Hwy, Maui (Jordan Lawrence, 35, of Pukalani)
• Jan. 1, 2019: Kula Man Dies in New Year Accident on Pūlehu Road (Mau Loa Pacheco, 20, of Kula)