‘ELE‘ELE — The 84-year-old pedestrian struck by a truck Wednesday afternoon in ‘Ele‘ele sustained serious head injuries, a county spokesperson said yesterday. Lena Mendonca of ‘Ele‘ele was first transported to Kaua‘i Veterans Memorial Hospital in Waimea and later evacuated to
‘ELE‘ELE — The 84-year-old pedestrian struck by a truck Wednesday afternoon in ‘Ele‘ele sustained serious head injuries, a county spokesperson said yesterday.
Lena Mendonca of ‘Ele‘ele was first transported to Kaua‘i Veterans Memorial Hospital in Waimea and later evacuated to Queens Medical Center in Honolulu for further treatment.
The woman had just crossed Kaumuali‘i Highway via the pedestrian bridge and was walking to ‘Ele‘ele Post Office near the west entrance to the the ‘Ele‘ele Shopping Center when she was struck in the service road, according to a police officer at the scene.
Witnesses said there was blood on the road and emergency frequency scanner communications described a victim with “severe head trauma.”
“She was conscious and alert when she arrived at the hospital,” Kaua‘i Police Department Lt. Mark Scribner said yesterday. “She suffered a skull fracture and was bleeding out of her ears.”
The driver of the blue Dodge pick-up truck was identified as 46-year-old Carlo Salvador, also of ‘Ele‘ele, the county statement says.
“He did not suffer any injuries,” Scribner said, but was taken to KVMH because of an anxiety attack that occured in response to the incident. He was treated and released.
The truck sustained no evident damage, according to witnesses.
Scribner left open the possibility of negligence charges, but said a full criminal investigation was unlikely at this time.
KPD’s Traffic Safety Unit will continue to investigate the incident.
Representatives of the ‘Ele‘ele Shopping Center, the ‘Ele‘ele Post Office and KVMH were reached but had no comment.
