Oahu road deaths prompt extra police enforcement for Halloween and the holidays
A deadly weekend on Oahu's roads killed one pedestrian and critically hurt several others, and police are responding with a heavier presence through Halloween and the holidays.
- One woman was killed in a hit-and-run in Waipahu, and another was left in critical condition after a driver hit her in Waianae and fled.
- A car speeding on Nimitz Highway lost control, crashed into a ditch and caught fire with three people inside; a deputy sheriff nearby pulled them out.
- A separate crash on the North Shore knocked down utility poles, cutting power and closing Kamehameha Highway in both directions for most of the day.
- The 17-year-old driver in that crash was arrested for driving without a license.
- Traffic deaths are actually way down this year — 32 so far, against 68 at this point last year — and officials do not want that progress lost.
Outlook: Expect more sheriffs on the road pulling over reckless drivers, plus tougher charges for drivers who leave the scene, as Halloween and the holiday season arrive.