UPDATE: Responsible Identified in Kahului Hit-and-Run Investigation

Hit-and-run graphic by Wendy Osher.

By Maui Now Staff

(UPDATE: 10:17 a.m. 5/8/15)

Maui police have since located a vehicle involved in a hit-and-run incident in Kahului on Sunday, and have positively identified the driver.

Police say an ongoing investigation revealed a silver colored Honda Accord with a license number containing the same letters and numbers as an unmarked police vehicle was involved in the crash.

Police say two of the letters were reversed and issued a statement today saying, “This was a mistake anyone could have made.”

Wailuku Patrol Officers were able to locate the vehicle, which they say had damages to the front end, “consistent with what you would see in this type of collision.”

When questioned by officers, police say the female driver admitted being involved in the accident reported over the weekend.

According to police reports, the accident resulted in injury and damages to both vehicles that were estimated to be less than $3000.

Police say additional cases were generated for failure to render aid, and accidents involving bodily injury. The cases have been forwarded to the Maui County Prosecutors Office for review.

In a press release statement police said, “Maui Police Department’s Policy in releasing Motor Vehicle Accident reports, with or without injury are in accordance to Hawaiʻi Revised Statues 291c-20 and Chapter 92F, Uniform Information Practices Act. By law, the accident report is considered confidential in nature, therefore, we would not have released it to anyone outside of the parties directly involved.”
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(Original Post: 5/7/15)

Maui police are investigating a hit-and-run traffic incident reported on Sunday night, May 3, 2015 in Kahului.

Police say a female driver reported that she was rear-ended at around 8 p.m. while stopped at a red light on the Hāna Highway at the Kamehameha Avenue intersection.

The driver told police that she followed the vehicle on Kamehameha Avenue until she could obtain a license plate number, which came out to an unmarked Maui Police Department vehicle.

When police made checks of the officer’s home, the police vehicle was inspected and found to be undamaged, according to a department press release.  “The vehicle was also cold to the touch, indicating it had not been driven recently,” police said.

Police say the victim described the vehicle that struck her car as a sliver colored sedan similar to a Honda Civic with a large after-market muffler, and reported that the vehicle was driven by a local female who fled the scene.

The license plate mentioned by the driver does not match a Honda Civic sedan, according to information released by the Maui Police Department.

The female whose vehicle was struck in the incident was transported to the hospital in good condition, said Lieutenant William Juan.

Police say an investigation to identify the responsible driver and the vehicle is ongoing.