Honolulu,HI : Big Island man arrested after fleeing scene of fiery crash that killed 1 on may, sunday 14th 2017

Police arrested a Keaau man after a fiery crash near Hawaiian Paradise Park late Sunday that killed a man driving a truck.

Keempe Drequito, 26, is being held at the Hilo police cellblock.

The two-vehicle crash happened around 8:40 p.m. on Highway 130, between Shower and Kaloli drives.

Big Island police said a 2003 Mazda sedan was going southbound on the highway when it rear-ended a 1990 Toyota truck.

A witness said the Mazda was speeding and passing cars moments before the crash.

"He took over on the shoulder lane probably going about 85 miles an hour I would say, cause we were all going the speed limit, so 50 to 55 miles per hour we were going," said Kaili Tanaka, who was heading to his home in Hawaiian Paradise Park. "He passed, I would say, at least three or four cars."

The impact of the crash left the victim's pickup truck on its side, with the driver trapped underneath.

"When I ran up to him, he looked at me and he was telling, 'Help, please, just get me out, Pull me out,' so I grabbed him by his arm and tried to pull him out and I could see that he was pinned," said Kapena Riveira, a good Samaritan who pulled over to help.

With the flames growing, Riveira unsuccessfully attempted to save the victim again while another man used a fire extinguisher to try to stop the fire.

"I tried pulling him out, but then the fire, I could feel it on my back, the flames kept touching my back so I put the blanket over me and him and I tried and I tried," Riveira recalled.

Authorities said after the crash, Drequito took off.

"You see him basically get out of his car, swearing, looking at the scene and kind of puts his hands on his head little while, then he kind of puts it down and starts walking up the hill," said Tanaka.

Police said they located Drequito a short time later. He was arrested on suspicion of negligent homicide, reckless driving, accident involving death or serious injury and driving under the influence of intoxicants.

Drequito has racked up multiple traffic violations in the last several years.

The victim's identity is being withheld pending next-of-kin notification.


Source :
Big Island man arrested after fleeing scene of fiery crash that killed 1