Collision on Haleakalā Highway claims the life of a 19-year-old motorcyclist from Maui

Update:

The operator of the Kawasaki has since been identified as Koa Hutton, 19, of Haʻikū.  The Maui Police Department extends condolences to Hutton’s family and friends. Police say further investigation reveals Hutton was wearing a helmet at the time of the collision.

Previous post:

A 19-year-old motorcyclist from Haʻikū, Maui suffered fatal injuries in a crash on Haleakalā Highway late Sunday night.

The incident was reported at 11:09 p.m. on Sunday, Jan. 21, 2024, on Haleakalā Highway (37), 806 feet west of Keahua Road.

Police say a preliminary investigation reveals that a white 2012 Acura TSX sedan was traveling east on Haleakalā Highway within the outside lane, while a white and red Kawasaki KX125 off-road motorcycle was also traveling east on Haleakalā Highway when the Acura collided into the rear of the Kawasaki, resulting in the motorcycle operator being ejected.  The Acura continued east where it collided into a guardrail, according to police reports.

As a result of the crash, the operator of the Kawasaki, a 19-year-old male from Haʻikū, died at the scene, police said. The victim’s identity is being withheld for 24 hours to allow his family an opportunity to notify their extended family and friends.  

The operator of the Acura, a 24-year-old Pukalani woman, did not report any injuries.

Police say their investigation reveals that: The operator of the Acura was wearing a seat belt and the vehicle’s airbags did deploy.

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

A portion of the highway was closed for several hours overnight while police conducted an investigation.

This is Maui County’s first traffic fatality of 2024, compared to zero at the same time last year.   

During the investigation, police arrested a Makawao man after he failed to stop at the road closure, which was set up about three hours earlier. The incident ended as the man’s SUV collided into the rear of a parked MPD fleet vehicle. The full story is posted HERE. >> http://tinyurl.com/bdedyab7