Maunakea Information Update for January 1st, 2022
Two children were critically injured and five others seriously injured in a single-vehicle collision on Maunakea Access Road (Highway 210) Saturday afternoon (January 1st).
Published by: HIRSC - Hawai'i Island (Hōlualoa) and O'ahu (Waipi'o) Team
info@hiradioscannercommunity.com
The Hawai'i Fire Department (HFD) along with U.S. Army Garrison Fire Department at Pōhakuloa Training Area (PTA Fire), American Medical Response (AMR), and the Hawai'i Police Department (HPD) responded to a report of a single-vehicle collision on Maunakea Access Road (Highway 210) in Maunakea, North Hilo Saturday afternoon (January 1st).
The initial call came in at 3:29 pm Saturday afternoon and HFD Crews from the Waimea, Central, Waiākea (Rescue Company 2), and Haihai Fire Stations along with PTA Fire, AMR-1, and HPD Officers from the South Hilo Patrol and Traffic Enforcement Unit (TEU) responded to the scene located approximately 1/2-mile below Halepōhaku Visitor Information Station on Maunakea Access Road in Maunakea, North Hilo.
Upon the arrival of emergency crews, reports came into emergency dispatch reporting a single-vehicle (description of the vehicle not disclosed) traveling on Maunakea Access Road, ran off the roadway down a steep ravine approximately 150-feet below the roadway, suffering severe damage and injuring all passengers aboard, a total of seven patients (being described as male and female ranging from ages 5 to 40s), injuries being described as serious to life-threatening. Bystanders worked to provide aid to the patients until emergency crews arrived at the scene.
Once emergency crews arrived at the scene, PTA Fire personnel immediately worked to extricate patients and begin medical triage of all seven patients injured and prepare for transport by HFD Medics en route from multiple districts. HFD Medics transported two children (both male and female of the ages of 5 and 10) in critical condition, one patient was listed in extremely critical condition, to the Hilo Medical Center for further medical treatment. HFD Medics and AMR-1 transported five other patients (male and female with their ages ranging from 20s to 40s) also to the Hilo Medical Center, all listed in serious condition. No further updates were given on patients' conditions due to HIPAA Laws.
Due to the patient's condition at the time of transport, HPD Officers closed Maunakea Access Road between Halepōhaku and Highway 200 (Daniel K. Inouye Highway/Saddle Road) while TEU Officers arrived at the scene to begin their investigation into the collision.
Maunakea Access Road was later reopened early Saturday evening.
HPD TEU continues to investigate the incident. The scene is a short distance away from a previous fatal collision that occurred in 2017, where an SUV had rolled over and fatally injured the sole operator of the vehicle.