Two people killed, four other injured in Polaris crash on Molokaʻi

Two people died as a result of a rollover accident involving a Polaris utility terrain vehicle (UTV) near Hālawa Valley Park on Molokaʻi, Saturday. The incident occurred on at around 10:57 p.m. on Aug. 8, 2026, on Kamehameha V Highway near Mile 28.

Police say a preliminary investigation reveals that a 20-year-old Kaunakakai woman was operating the UTV with five passengers on a dirt roadway toward the paved portion of Kamehameha V Highway when the UTV veered toward the south shoulder.  The operator swerved and overcorrected, causing the UTV to lift, according to police.  The operator attempted to regain control but subsequently crossed the roadway, striking a large tree stump on the north shoulder. 

As a result of the collision, all six occupants were ejected.  The operator and front passenger, a 19-year-old Kaunakakai female, succumbed to their injuries at the scene.  The victims’ identities are being withheld for 24 hours to allow their families an opportunity to notify their extended family and friends.

The four other passengers, all from Kaunakakai—two females, ages 16 and 17, and two males, ages 20 and 22—sustained non-life-threatening injuries and were transported to Molokaʻi General Hospital for further treatment. 

None of the occupants were wearing helmets or seat belts at the time of the crash, according to department reports.

Police say alcohol and speed are considered factors in this collision. The involvement of drugs has not yet been determined, as the investigation remains ongoing.

This marked Maui County’s sixth and seventh traffic fatalities of 2026, compared to 12 traffic fatalities at the same time last year.