Car traveling at shocking speed before plowing into Kaimuki home

HONOLULU (KHON2) — On Saturday, a car crash in Kaimuki had the destructive force to knock a house off its foundation. KHON2.com shared new, startling video footage from moments before the crash. Miraculously, no bystanders were injured and the driver survived, albeit with serious injuries.

In the aftermath, a state lawmaker is now looking into preventive measures for dangerous speeding in residential neighborhoods.

The speed of the vehicle in the crash is shocking, even to those accustomed to high speeds, such as Bryan Gomes, a Hawaii drag racing enthusiast.

“It looked like it was going about 70 to 80 miles an hour,” Gomes stated.

The vehicle in question was a Tesla Model 3, a car known for its speed. According to Tesla’s website, this model can accelerate from zero to 60 miles per hour in just three seconds.

Gomes commented on the power of these vehicles, “Some of them can go a quarter mile in 9 seconds. It’s unbelievable.”

The increasing speed capabilities of new cars are part of a growing trend, especially with electric vehicles.

Hawaii’s Department of Business, Economic Development & Tourism reported that electric vehicles (EVs) registrations are growing quickly.

In May 2023, the number of passenger EVs in the state was 25,468, marking an increase of 5,826 vehicles (29.7%) from the same month last year and an increase of 586 vehicles (2.4%) from April 2023.”

 Department of Business, Economic Development & Tourism

Gomes compared his first ride in a Tesla to his experiences in a race car, “It shocked me. I was in the passenger seat and it pulled you back into the seat. I was like, wow.”

But it’s not just Teslas. Many EVs on the market possess this kind of torque.

According to Chris Lee, Chair of the State Senate’s Transportation Committee, the cars aren’t to blame. To mitigate the risk of dangerous speeding, he believes the answer lies in our road design.

“We should be making sure streets are designed to prevent that kind of speeding, especially in residential areas or near schools,” said Lee.

“So that no matter what the case, even if someone is going to blatantly break the law or drive negligently, they’re physically not capable of driving a car down the street at 50-60 miles an hour,” Lee continued.

Additionally, Lee is considering other ways to keep dangerous drivers off the roads.

“Judges have the discretion under current law to actually put people behind bars for such acts and ensure they serve jail time,” Lee emphasized. “However, up to this point, prosecutors and the judiciary have not been utilizing this.”

When KHON2.com asked about the driver involved in the Kaimuki crash, the Honolulu Police Department reported that the person had been hospitalized but not arrested. An investigation into the incident is ongoing.