HANAPEPE A 39-year-old Kekaha man died in a traffic crash early Wednesday morning.
HANAPEPE — A 39-year-old Kekaha man died in a traffic crash early Wednesday morning.
Shawn Parraga was riding a motorcycle around 3 a.m. near the intersection of Hanapepe Road and Moi Road when he tried to overtake an ambulance that was responding to a call in Hanapepe Heights, a county press release said.
Medic 20 was eastbound on Hanapepe Road and turning left on Moi Road when Parraga broadsided the left side of the ambulance and was ejected from his motorcycle. Medic 20 personnel administered CPR on the unresponsive man until other medics arrived on scene, at which point, Parraga was transported to Wilcox Hospital where he was pronounced dead.
The medics on board Medic 20 were uninjured.
According to a preliminary investigation, before the incident occurred, a Kauai Police Department officer was conducting routine traffic enforcement using a dashboard radar device while driving. While the officer was heading west toward Kaumakani along Kaumuali‘i Highway, a motorcyclist passed him heading eastbound at a high rate of speed, the press release said.
The officer turned on his flashing blue lights and made a U-turn in an attempt to stop the motorcyclist but due to the excessive speed, the motorcyclist was already out of sight.
The officer lost visual contact with the motorcyclist until coming upon the scene of the traffic crash in Hanapepe, the release said.
The area of Hanapepe Road and Moi Road was closed for about four hours while an investigation was conducted by KPD’s Traffic Safety Unit. KPD has notified next of kin.
