Vehicle Plunges 200 Feet Off Kahakuloa Cliff on Maui, Claims Life of Driver

Update: Driver in Fatal Collision Identified

Maui police have since identified the driver as Polyana De Melo, 35, of Lahaina. Proper notification was made to family members this morning. 

Previous Post: Vehicle Plunges 200 Feet Off Kahakuloa Cliff on Maui, Claims Life of Driver

A deadly crash in a remote section of the Kahekili Highway on Maui claimed the life of the driver on Monday afternoon.

Police say the operator of a 2019 four-door Nissan sedan was traveling East (in the Wailuku direction) on the Kahekili HIghway, when she failed to negotiate a curve in the road and drove off the cliffside, landing on the rocky shoreline 200 feet below.

The accident was reported at around 12:32 p.m. on Monday, Jan. 25, about 0.6 miles east of Mile 16 in Kahakuloa.

Police say that as a result of the collision, the operator was ejected from the vehicle and died at the scene.

The operator was identified as a 35-year-old female, possibly from Lahaina, according to police reports. Identification is being withheld pending notification of family.

Police say the operator of the Nissan was not wearing a seatbelt at the time of the crash and the vehicle airbags did deploy.

The involvement of speed, alcohol and drugs has not been determined as the investigation is still pending.

This was the first traffic fatality for the County of Maui this year compared to two at the same time last year.