Moped Crash on Honoapi‘ilani Highway Claims Life of Lahaina Man

A moped crash on the Honoapiʻilani Highway claimed the life of a Lahaina man.

The incident was reported at around 10 a.m. on Friday April 16, 2021, on the Honoapiʻilani Highway, approximately 59 feet southeast of Lahainaluna Road in Lahaina.

Preliminary investigation reveals a 2015 DAIXI moped was traveling Southeast on Honoapiʻilani Highway within the marked bike lane. At the same time a 2019 International Master truck was also traveling southeast on Honoapiʻilani Highway within lane number 2 (lane closest to bike lane).

Police say the operator of the moped failed to yield the right of way to the truck and merged into lane number 2, sideswiping the truck. As a result of the collision, the moped operator was ejected onto the roadway and swept under the truck.

Police say the moped operator identified as Joseph Deloache, 62, of Lahaina, died at the scene.

The operator of the truck, a 27-year-old Kahului man, was not injured and did not require medical treatment.

According to department reports, Deloache was not wearing a helmet at the time of this crash; and the operator of the truck was wearing his seatbelt.

A preliminary police investigation reveals that the involvement of speed, drugs, and alcohol does not appear to be factors; however, the investigation is ongoing and final determination has yet to be made by traffic crash investigators.

This was the third traffic fatality for the County of Maui this year, compared to three at the same time last year.