HAWAII POLICE DEPARTMENT
HILO PATROL DIVISION
CAPTAIN LARRY WEBER
PHONE: 961-2214
MAY 4, 2006

MEDIA RELEASE

A traffic accident early Thursday morning (May 4, 2006) closed Kanoelehua Avenue and E. Lanikaula Street.

Sgt. Burton Yamaguchi said the driver of a sport-utility vehicle was traveling in the eastbound lane of E. Lanikaula Street mauka of Kanoelehua Avenue and was arguing with her male passenger. At the intersection, the SUV didn’t stop, crossed the highway and struck a telephone pole. That pole hit a building and pulled down another pole. Wires across East Lanikaula Street and Kanoelehua Avenue forced the closure of both roads in both directions.

Both occupants of the SUV suffered only minor injuries.

A utility crew cleared Kanoelehua Avenue at about 2 a.m. and the road was re-opened. East Lanikaula Street on the makai side of the highway (between Kanoelehua Avenue and Railroad Avenue) remains closed until further notice.

Police advise motorists to expect intermittent closures on Kanoelehua Avenue in both directions at that intersection while utility crews close one lane at a time while working to restore the poles.