A 27-year-old Kahului man died Thursday after his car plowed into the rear of a school bus on Kuihelani Highway near East Waiko Road in Wailuku, a violent collision that left his vehicle pinned beneath the bus. Emergency crews pulled the driver from under the wreckage and rushed him to Maui Memorial Medical Center, where he later died. The bus operator was not hurt.
Crash timeline and scene details
According to a Maui County Police Department press release, the crash happened at about 6:06 a.m. on May 14. Police said a gray 2015 Nissan Versa was heading south on Kuihelani Highway when it failed to slow for traffic and slammed into the rear of a slowing 2024 Thomas school bus. The Versa became lodged beneath the bus. The driver, a 27-year-old Kahului man, was taken to Maui Memorial Medical Center, where he later died. Authorities said his name is being withheld while family members are notified.
Seatbelts and ongoing investigation
As reported by Hawaii News Now, investigators said the Versa driver was not wearing a seatbelt. The school bus driver, a 61-year-old Haiku woman, was belted in and was not injured. Police have not yet determined whether speed, drugs or alcohol were factors in the crash, and the case remains under active investigation.
Traffic fatality trends on Maui
The county’s release notes that this is Maui County’s second traffic fatality of 2026, compared with nine traffic deaths at the same time last year, according to the Maui County Police Department press release. Investigators continue to work the case and officials said more details will be released as they become available.
