What started as a quiet on Sunday night in Poʻipu turned violent when a pickup truck crossed the centerline on Hoʻowili Road and plowed into three pedestrians, seriously injuring two adults and sending a child to the hospital. Police say the driver is now under arrest on a slate of traffic and intoxication-related offenses.
According to the Kauaʻi Police Department, the crash happened at about 8 p.m. Sunday. A 2016 Ram pickup heading south on Hoʻowili Road reportedly crossed the centerline and hit three people who were walking along the northbound shoulder. The department said its Traffic Safety Section responded to investigate, and officers shut down the roadway for roughly an hour while they documented the scene.
Victims and Hospital Update
Police identified the victims as a 43-year-old man, a 43-year-old woman and a child. All three were taken to Wilcox Medical Center, where the adults were hospitalized with serious injuries. The child was treated and later released. As reported by Hawaii News Now, the driver was not hurt in the collision.
Driver Arrested and Charges
Kauaʻi Now reports that the driver has been identified as 52-year-old Nita Fostanes of Hanapēpē. She was arrested on suspicion of operating a vehicle under the influence of an intoxicant, reckless driving, inattention to driving and three counts of negligent injury in the first degree. Toxicology results are still pending as detectives work to determine what caused the pickup to cross into the oncoming side of the road.
Investigation and Witness Requests
Investigators say speed does not appear to have been a factor, though additional testing is pending. Anyone who may have seen the crash is asked to call Officer Henshaw at 808-241-1616 or share an anonymous tip with Crime Stoppers Kauaʻi at 808-246-8300, according to the Kauaʻi Police Department.
Legal Implications
The three negligent-injury counts cited by police fall under Hawaii's negligent injury in the first degree statute, which is classified as a class C felony. The law is set out in section 707-705 of the Hawaii Revised Statutes, with sentencing governed by the state penal code.
The arrests and injuries have rattled the Poʻipu community during the holiday week, as residents wait for answers and authorities work to piece together the exact sequence of events. Police say they will release additional details as the investigation moves forward.
