Motorcyclist Arrested and Released in Fatal Waiheʻe Crash

Lower Waiehu Beach Road, Oct. 28, 2013. Photo by Wendy Osher.

By Wendy Osher

A 25-year-old Waiheʻe man was arrested on Tuesday in connection with a fatal motor vehicle collision reported on Monday afternoon, Oct. 28, on Lower Waiehu Beach Road, police said.

According to police reports, the man was placed under arrest by Vehicle Homicide investigators with the Maui Police Department at 2:30 p.m. on Tuesday, Oct. 30. and released pending further investigation for the following charges: first-degree negligent homicide; driving without valid license; first-degree methamphetamine trafficking; third-degree promoting dangerous drug; two counts of prohibited acts/drug paraphernalia; and third-degree promoting detrimental drugs.

The man’s identity and mug shot are not being released at this time because the individual has since been released pending investigation, said Maui Police Lt. William Juan.

Police say the investigation related to this arrest is still ongoing.

Lower Waiehu Beach Road, Oct. 28, 2013. Photo by Wendy Osher.

The arrest stems from a fatal collision reported at 3:53 p.m. on Monday, Oct. 29, 2013, on Waiehu Beach Road, at the Linekona Place intersection.

Maui police have since identified the victim as Earle Maielua, 47, of Wailuku, Maui.

A preliminary investigation conducted by Maui police reveals that a 2004 Suzuki GSXR motorcycle was traveling west on Waiehu Beach Road, when it collided into the rear of Maielua’s black 2012 Ningbo GTX moped.

Police say both vehicles were traveling west on Waiehu Beach Road when the incident occurred.

Following the collision with the moped, the motorcycle continued west and sideswiped the left side of a 2004 Honda Accord four door sedan that was parked facing west along the west bound shoulder of Waiehu Beach Road, police said.

Lower Waiehu Beach Road, Oct. 28, 2013. Photo by Wendy Osher.

As a result of this collision, the 25-year-old motorcycle operator from Wailuku suffered minor injuries and was transported to Maui Memorial Medical Center Emergency Room, according to a report filed by Maui Police Sergeant William Hankins with the department’s Vehicle Homicide Unit.

According to the report, Maielua sustained fatal injuries and died at the scene.

Both the operator of the motorcycle and the operator of the moped were not wearing a helmet at the time of the crash, according to police reports.

In response to public inquiry, Lt. William Juan said, “There was no active pursuit involved in this motor vehicle crash.”

The incident was Maui County’s 12th traffic fatality compared to 20 at the same time last year.