Tragedy struck in ‘Ele‘ele on Friday night as a man lost his life in a traffic incident that involved only his vehicle. According to a press release from the Kauaʻi Police Department, the accident occurred Last Friday, in the early evening hours.
Officials report that the 76-year-old man from ‘Ele‘ele was driving a 2002 Dodge truck eastbound on Kaumuali‘i Highway. It was around 6:20 p.m. when he struck a guardrail near the ‘Ele‘ele Shopping Center. Upon arrival, responders found the man to be unresponsive, and efforts to quickly revive him were unsuccessful. Medics subsequently transported him to the Kaua‘i Veterans Memorial Hospital, where he was pronounced dead, as reported by the Kauaʻi Police Department.
The details surrounding the cause of the crash are still under investigation. However, initial assessments by the Kauaʻi Police Department suggest that neither speed nor impairment appear to have been contributing factors in the accident. An autopsy has been scheduled to ultimately determine the exact cause of death for the victim.
The incident led to an interruption in the flow of traffic along Kaumuali‘i Highway, which was closed in both directions for approximately one hour. This closure allowed the Kauaʻi Police Department's Traffic Safety Section to thoroughly investigate the scene. The department has yet to release additional information regarding the results of their investigation or the identity of the deceased.
