A head-on collision between an SUV and a sedan closed Highway 19 at mile marker 25 on Thursday morning, and sent three people to the hospital, the Hawaii County Fire Department reports.
Emergency personnel responding to the scene at 8:20 a.m. found the occupants of both vehicles trapped and had to use the “Jaws of Life” to free them, according to the department.
The SUV was found up on an embankment, on its side. A man and woman were extricated from the vehicle. The sedan was found in the middle of the highway, with the driver, a woman, trapped. The women were transported to Hilo Medical Center by ambulance. The man was flown to the same facility via helicopter. All three suffered multiple system trauma, according to the department.
The cause of the crash is under investigation by the Hawaii Police Department.