Media Release

A 20-year-old Kamuela man was arrested Thursday (April 23) on a variety of offenses after being involved in a three-vehicle crash at the intersection of  the Queen Ka’ahumanu Highway and Mauna Lani Drive in Waikoloa.

Responding to a 3:47 p.m. call of a traffic collision, South Kohala patrol and Traffic Enforcement Unit officers determined that Kahiliokeanuinu Puaalani Peleiholani was operating a 1995 Toyota pick-up truck and traveling north on Queen Ka’ahumanu Highway when he made a left turn from the northbound lane to Mauna Lani Drive and collided with a 2006 Ford van traveling south.

After the initial collision, the truck struck a 2007 Hyundai van that was stopped in the left turn lane on the Queen Ka’ahumanu Highway.

Peleiholani was extricated from his vehicle by fire department personnel. He became combative and started fighting with firefighters and police officers at the scene. During the struggle, one of the officers was assaulted.

Fire Rescue personnel took Peleiholani to North Hawai’i Community Hospital, where he was arrested for operating a vehicle under the influence of an intoxicant, two counts of negligent injury, assault on a police officer and promoting detrimental drugs in the third degree.

Peleiholani, who was listed in critical condition, was released pending further investigation and flown to The Queens Medical Center on Oahu.

The driver of the Ford van, a 56-year-old man, and his passenger, a 35-year-old man, both of Kailua-Kona, were confined to North Hawai’i Community Hospital in serious condition.

The occupants of the Hyundai van where not injured.

The police officer, an 8-year veteran assigned to the Traffic Enforcement Unit, was treated and released from North Hawai’i Community Hospital.