Late-night burgers came with an unexpected side of flying debris on Tuesday when a Honolulu Police Department SUV slammed into the front entrance of the McDonald’s on Kūhiō Avenue in Waikīkī, tearing open the restaurant’s storefront. Surveillance video captured the cruiser plowing into the doorway after a collision in the roadway, and despite the dramatic scene, both drivers escaped with only minor injuries.
Just after 11 p.m., a black vehicle was traveling west on Kūhiō Avenue when an HPD SUV with lights and sirens on moved into the bus-only lane to pass. The two vehicles collided, sending the black car spinning across the street while the police SUV continued forward into the McDonald’s entrance. Crews later cordoned off the front of the restaurant so repairs could begin. Video of the crash was provided to Hawaii News Now, which reports HPD said the officer had been responding to a robbery call, that the black vehicle was not involved in that case, and that the crash is under investigation, with both drivers suffering only minor injuries.
Officials and witnesses react
Retired HPD deputy chief John McCarthy told Hawaii News Now that based on the surveillance video, "it looks like he’s going a little too fast and just made an error in judgment," adding that officers need to be especially cautious in busy corridors like Waikīkī. Another witness said they heard "a big boom" and then saw the HPD SUV jammed into the McDonald’s doorway, a jarring reminder of how quickly a routine emergency response can escalate into a costly crash.
Police stance and safety context
HPD told Hawaii News Now that preliminary indications are the officer was "following proper policy and procedure" and that there was no pursuit involved. The department said the incident is undergoing an internal review.
The timing is awkward for HPD, which only recently joined other agencies to launch the Safer Roads, Together 2026 initiative aimed at cutting down on serious traffic crashes across Oʻahu. The program leans on high-visibility enforcement, impaired-driving checkpoints and public education to get drivers to slow down and pay attention, according to a department news release from the Honolulu Police Department.
What comes next
Crash investigators are expected to review exactly what went wrong, and HPD’s internal process will determine whether any administrative action or additional training is needed for the officer involved. No arrests were made in connection with the collision.
The wreck adds to a tense stretch on Waikīkī streets, which have seen several recent traffic scares, including a late-night moped hit-and-run earlier this month that sent two people to the hospital, a case that highlighted how quickly things can turn dangerous for anyone on the road, as reported in a moped hit-and-run horror.
