On Saturday evening, a multi-vehicle crash on the eastbound H-1 Freeway in Pearl City left several people, including children, injured and sent the evening commute into gridlock. Witnesses and bystander video showed at least one vehicle overturned in a pileup of other cars, while responders treated multiple patients on the shoulder. Tow crews and emergency personnel worked to clear the wreckage as traffic backed up along the stretch between Pearl City and Waipahu. Officials closed lanes between the Waipahu on-ramp and the Waimalu off-ramp while crews handled the scene.
According to Hawaii News Now, the crash happened around 5:20 p.m., and Honolulu Emergency Medical Services said crews administered advanced life support to six patients and transported them to area hospitals. EMS listed a 34-year-old woman, a 45-year-old woman and a 7-year-old girl in serious condition, while a 33-year-old man, a 10-year-old girl and an infant were in stable condition. Two teenage boys were evaluated at the scene but did not require hospital transport.
A witness told the Honolulu Star-Advertiser he saw an overturned vehicle and roughly 10 other cars involved in the pileup. The Star-Advertiser also reported that police, fire and emergency medical services responded to the crash and began clearing the scene.
Traffic disruption and response
Initially, all eastbound lanes were closed between the Waipahu on-ramp and the Waimalu off-ramp. By about 6:24 p.m., police had reopened one lane, Hawaii News Now reported. Honolulu police said tow crews were removing damaged vehicles while investigators worked at the scene, and drivers were urged to avoid the stretch until cleanup and the investigation finished.
H-1 construction and safety context
The stretch between Waipahu and Waimalu has seen repeated maintenance and night-work closures this month as part of the H-1 Pearl City and Waimalu viaduct repairs, the Hawai‘i Department of Transportation warned in early June. HDOT said the work can lead to detours and alternating lane shifts that amplify the impact of crashes. Local reporting has repeatedly flagged the corridor's recent history of collision-related closures and commuter headaches, the outlet noted.
Investigation ongoing
Honolulu police said the cause of the crash remains under investigation and have not publicly identified any contributing factors, according to the Honolulu Star-Advertiser. Officials have asked anyone with video or eyewitness information to contact HPD as detectives work to piece together what happened.
The scene left families and commuters shaken as emergency crews cared for the injured and cleared the freeway. This story will be updated as officials release further details.
