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The Honolulu Advertiser
Posted on: Monday, April 30, 2007

Two men dead in O'ahu crashes

By Robbie Dingeman
Advertiser Staff Writer

Two O'ahu men died over the weekend in separate traffic accidents.

An 'Ewa Beach man was killed after he lost control of his speeding sport utility vehicle on H-2 Freeway near Mililani and hit a tree about 3:35 a.m. yesterday, according to Honolulu police.

And a man injured late Friday night in a motorcycle crash was identified yesterday by the Honolulu medical examiner's office as Craig Aoki, 36, of Waipahu.

Police said a 22-year-old 'Ewa Beach man was traveling "at a high rate of speed" on wet roads when he lost control of the 2004 GMC Envoy he was driving near the Pineapple Road overpass. Investigators said the car spun clockwise, hit the tree and burst into flames with the driver pinned inside.

Police said the driver, who was alone, suffered internal and external injuries and burns and died at the scene. Investigators said the vehicle was Honolulu-bound and went out of control at a right-hand bend in the roadway and veered onto the right shoulder of the freeway.

Speed was a factor but police said it was unknown if alcohol or drugs were involved.

Aoki, the motorcyclist critically injured Friday in Waipahu, died Saturday at The Queen's Medical Center.

Aoki was operating an eastbound 2002 Suzuki motorcycle that collided with a white four-door 1999 Toyota Corolla on Farrington Highway, west of Awamoku Street, at 11:27 p.m. The car was turning west out of a driveway when it collided with the motorcycle.

Aoki suffered critical head injuries. A 36-year-old woman passenger on the motorcycle is at The Queen's Medical Center with non-life-threatening injuries, while the 51-year-old man driving the Corolla was treated at Hawai'i Medical Center-West and released.

The weekend fatalities were O'ahu's 29th and 30th of the year, compared with 34 on the same date in 2006.

Staff writer Rod Ohira contributed to this report.

Reach Robbie Dingeman at rdingeman@honoluluadvertiser.com.