A 20-year-old woman has died after a violent single-vehicle crash on the northbound Likelike Highway just past the Wilson Tunnel early Wednesday, according to Honolulu police and the city Medical Examiner’s Office. Police say the woman, who was riding in the rear seat, was ejected onto the roadway when the car slammed into the right-shoulder guardrail. She was rushed to a Kaneohe hospital in serious condition and later died from her injuries. The 17-year-old driver and a 19-year-old passenger stayed at the scene with injuries while investigators combed through the wreckage.
According to KITV, Honolulu Police Department Traffic Division investigators say the crash happened just after midnight when the teen driver lost control and the vehicle struck the guardrail. The car was carrying three passengers: two 20-year-old women and a 19-year-old man. Honolulu Emergency Medical Services transported the front-seat passenger to an area hospital in serious condition. Police said the investigation into the collision is ongoing.
Investigation Underway
HPD’s Vehicular Homicide Section is leading the case, and detectives are still working the scene and interviewing witnesses. Investigators told reporters that speed, alcohol and drugs do not appear to be contributing factors at this time, though the case remains very much active. As of Wednesday, the department had not announced any criminal charges.
Oʻahu Traffic Toll
The crash is being counted among Oʻahu’s traffic fatalities this year. It is the 14th traffic-related death on the island so far in 2026, compared with 25 at the same point in 2025, according to KITV. Safety advocates have long warned that being ejected from a vehicle sharply increases the chances of a fatal injury, and police once again stressed the life-or-death importance of wearing seat belts.
Dangerous Stretch Near the Tunnel
The segment of Likelike Highway just past the Wilson Tunnel has seen its share of serious wrecks in recent years, including an October 2024 motorcycle crash that left a rider critically injured, as previously reported in a crash that left a rider critically injured. Traffic planners say the mix of a tunnel exit, a tight curve and shifting light conditions can make this part of Route 63 especially hazardous.
Police are asking anyone who saw the crash or who may have dashcam footage to contact the Honolulu Police Department Traffic Division’s Vehicular Homicide Section. This story will be updated if HPD or the Medical Examiner’s Office releases additional details.
