Two cars crashed head-on Sunday on Kuhio Highway, near Kuawa Road in Kilauea, putting four people in the hospital with serious injuries. The accident, which occurred at 12:18 p.m., involved a Toyota Camry, heading westbound towards Kalihiwai, and a Chevrolet
Two cars crashed head-on Sunday on Kuhio Highway, near Kuawa Road in Kilauea, putting four people in the hospital with serious injuries.
The accident, which occurred at 12:18 p.m., involved a Toyota Camry, heading westbound towards Kalihiwai, and a Chevrolet Impala, heading eastbound towards Anahola. Both cars contained couples in their sixties and seventies.
The vehicles were traveling in a 40 mile-per-hour zone.
“All around, there were lots of lacerations and some broken bones,” as well as injuries usually consistent with air-bag deployment, said Kaua’i Fire Department Battalion Chief Bob Kaden.
He described the injuries as two being of the very serious variety, “one just a notch below that, and one a notch below that.”
He said that he could not elaborate on specific injuries, citing patient-privacy laws.
According to information heard over the police scanner, one patient, a 70-year-old female, was transported because of a compound fracture to her lower left leg, where bones were sticking through the skin.
Kaden said that was not one of the “very serious” injuries.
All four were placed on backboards as precautions, and three of the four required oxygen as well, he added.
Two American Medical Response ambulances rushed the couples to Wilcox Memorial Hospital, while police re-routed traffic through Kilauea town and around the accident.
KFD engine 1 and rescue 1 from the Princeville fire station responded to help with the extraction and medical response.
“They did, really, really well,” said Kaden of the multi-departmental support.
All the victims were wearing their seat belts, Kaden said.
The conditions of the victims were not known at presstime.
The accident was the latest in a rash of traffic accidents involving injuries.
Also this weekend, the Inter-Island Helicopters rescue craft was called out twice to attempt to rescue an injured hiker along Na Pali Coast.
On Saturday afternoon, the craft had to turn back due to darkness, but returned to accomplish the rescue Sunday morning, he said.
Staff Writer Tom Finnegan may be reached at 245-3681 (ext. 252) or mailto:tfinnegan@pulitzer.net.
