HPD officer under investigation for crash that killed a man in a wheelchair

KALAELOA, OAHU (HawaiiNewsNow) - A negligent homicide investigation has been started by the Honolulu Police Department after a fatal crash that killed a homeless man in a wheelchair.

The officer, a three-year veteran of the force, is on administrative leave.

He was taking two teens to the Youth Challenge Academy about 8:20 Friday night.

He was on-duty, in uniform, and in a patrol car when he hit the man in the wheelchair on Enterprise Ave.

The 44-year old man was riding in the street, in the right lane of traffic. There are no sidewalks and no street lights on that stretch of road.

"The officer immediately stopped his vehicle and rendered aid to the man," says Honolulu Police Chief Louis Kealoha.

The man was taken to Queens Medical Center West Oahu, where he died.

The officer is is now on administrative leave.

Investigators will interview witnesses, including the two teens in the car, and analyze evidence to see if the officer was distracted or just couldn't see the man.

Copyright 2014 Hawaii News Now. All rights reserved.