Teen driver killed after vehicle crashes into ravine off Pali Highway

HONOLULU (HawaiiNewsNow) – A 16-year-old female driver died Thursday morning after losing control on Pali Highway, going over a barrier and into a ravine, Honolulu police said.

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The crash occurred just after 6 a.m. in the Kailua area and involved a single vehicle.

According to HPD’s Traffic Division, Vehicular Homicide Section, the teen was driving northbound on Pali Highway at a high rate of speed when she lost control and hit the right concrete barrier.

Police said the vehicle went airborne over the barrier, dropped about 50 feet into a ravine, continued across the ravine, hit an embankment and caught fire.

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The teen was ejected into the ravine and pronounced dead at the scene, police said. Firefighters pulled her out, police said.

Police said she was not wearing a seat belt.

Speed appears to be a contributing factor, police said. It was not immediately known whether drugs or alcohol were factors.

All Kailua-bound lanes of Pali Highway have been shut down.

Thursday’s crash is the 20th traffic fatality on Oʻahu this year, compared with 38 at the same time last year.

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