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The Honolulu Advertiser
Posted on: Thursday, April 15, 2010

Waimea woman, 51, dies when car runs off highway

Advertiser Staff

A 51-year-old Waimea woman died Tuesday afternoon after her four-door sedan ran off Highway 180 near the Waiaha water tank in Hōlualoa, fell about 50 feet and caught on fire.

Police identified the victim as Jerridee L. Halliwell.

When firefighters and police arrived at the scene of the 4 p.m. crash, Halliwell's 1997 Volkswagen was lying on its roof and was engulfed in flames, Hawai'i County police and fire officials said.

It appeared Halliwell was traveling north when the car went out of control at a tight corner and ran off the makai side of the road in an area without guardrails, Kailua fire Capt. Charles Spain said. The road was wet, but it was not raining.

Spain said witnesses reported hearing the woman yelling after the crash, but fire quickly consumed the car with her pinned inside. Several people tried to out out the fire with a fire extinguisher and dirt, but were unsuccessful.

Halliwell was taken to Kona Community Hospital, where she was pronounced dead at 7:01 p.m., Big Island police said.

She was the only person in the car.