Ho‘okipa Sunbather Dies After Being Run Over by Truck

Hookipa. Photo by Wendy Osher.

A motor vehicle collision occurred near the lower parking lot of Ho‘okipa Beach Park on Sunday, Oct. 14, 2018, at approximately 5:04 p.m.

The collision occurred as a silver 2006 Toyota Tacoma pickup truck climbed over a small grass hill adjacent to the lower parking lot and drove over a female sunbathing near the top of the hill.

The female sunbather sustained critical life-threatening injuries and was transported to the Maui Memorial Medical Center Emergency Room. She later succumbed to her injuries and was pronounced dead.

The operator of the Toyota pickup truck, a 20-year-old male from Hali’imaile, did not sustain any injuries.

The female sunbather has since been identified as 49-year-old Pascale Lelan of Pa‘ia.

The involvement of speed, drugs and alcohol has yet to be determined as the investigation is ongoing.

This is Maui County’s 15th traffic fatality for 2018 as compared to 12 the same time last year.