HONOLULU — The early morning calm in Nanakuli shattered just before 5 a.m. on Tuesday, October 28, when 19‑year‑old Tehya Mahelona, walking to work, was struck and killed in a multi‑vehicle crash along Farrington Highway. The loss has left her family and the close‑knit Waianae community reeling, and it raises fresh, painful questions about pedestrian safety.
Police say the collision occurred about 4:50 a.m. near Pua Avenue, where two vehicles merged into the same lane and collided, then one lost control and veered into a marked crosswalk. That vehicle struck Mahelona and another pedestrian. Emergency responders rushed Tehya to a nearby hospital in critical condition, but despite intensive efforts by medical staff, she later succumbed to her injuries. The other pedestrian, identified as a 42‑year‑old woman, and a driver involved in the collision were also hospitalized in serious condition.
Details in the investigation remain fluid. The Honolulu Police Department is reviewing surveillance footage and interviewing witnesses. Early statements suggest speed may have been a contributing factor, though authorities have not confirmed whether drugs or alcohol played a role. No arrests have been made to date.
At a memorial near the crash site, Tehya’s grieving mother, Amanda Mahelona, spoke between tears. She said Tehya was on her way to begin an early shift at Starbucks — heading out before dawn to avoid bothering her mother for a ride, proud of her independence. “She was so driven… she loved hard,” Amanda said, describing her daughter as someone who would quietly help friends and stand up for those being bullied. Tehya, a Nanakuli High School graduate, had aspirations of becoming a pilot, a dream her family now holds onto as a bittersweet memory.
In the aftermath, calls for change are growing louder. Hawaiʻi State Representative Darius Kila, who also happened to be Tehya’s cousin, encouraged people to not just offer sympathy but to “change behavior on the road.” Meanwhile, residents in Nanakuli and beyond are demanding renewed attention to crosswalk safety, traffic calming measures, and enforcement — to ensure no family endures a loss like this again.
This accident marks Oahu’s 71st traffic fatality in 2025, more than double the number at this same time in 2024. As the investigation continues, police are urging anyone with information—particularly from cameras in the area—to step forward and help piece together how a morning walk ended in tragedy.
Tehya’s passing is a heartbreak that ripples across her neighborhood — a reminder of how fragile life can be, and of how far we still must go to protect those who walk our streets before dawn.
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