A 63-year-old man died after a single-vehicle crash on the H-1 Freeway in Makiki early Sunday morning, according to Honolulu police. Shortly after 4 a.m., the car struck the center concrete median, then continued on and collided with a wall at the Vineyard Boulevard off-ramp at about 4:18 a.m. The driver was taken to a nearby hospital, where he later died.
Honolulu police said the man had been wearing his seat belt and that speed does not appear to be a contributing factor. Investigators are still working to determine what led up to the crash.
According to KITV, the Honolulu Police Department’s Traffic Division Vehicular Homicide Section reported the single-vehicle collision and released the initial details. The outlet notes that it is not yet known whether drugs or alcohol played any role and that the investigation is ongoing. KITV also reports that, according to police, this is the 11th traffic fatality on Oʻahu so far this year.
Vineyard off-ramp has seen serious crashes
The Vineyard Boulevard off-ramp and nearby portions of the H-1 have been the scene of multiple serious collisions in recent years, including rollovers that shut down lanes and required lengthy investigations. Hawaii News Now has previously reported on crashes at the same interchange, highlighting why investigators often give extra scrutiny to early-morning incidents in that corridor.
Investigation ongoing
The Honolulu Police Department’s Traffic Division Vehicular Homicide Section is leading the investigation and has asked anyone with dash-cam video or other potentially helpful information to contact investigators. Officials say updates and statements are being posted on the department’s traffic media page while the case remains open, and that further findings will be released when available.
