Bicyclist, 69, hospitalized in critical Kekaha collision

A 69 year-old bicyclist was hospitalized in critical condition after a traffic collision that occurred Thursdsay morning in Kekaha, according to the Kauai Police Department.

At 7:35 a.m., police and firefighters responded to the scene of the crash on Kaumuali'i Highway, just west of the Akialoa Road junction.

According to a preliminary investigation, the Kekaha man was riding his bike on the westbound shoulder of the highway when he was struck from behind by a Ford pickup truck, also heading west.

The bicyclist was wearing a helmet at the time of the collision.

The driver of the truck, 33, from Koloa was not injured.

Medics transported the bicyclist to Kauai Veterans Memorial Hospital.

Police closed the westbound lane of Kaumuali'i Highway for more than two hours during the emergency response, while the eastbound lane remained open to alternating traffic flow.

Both lanes of the highway were reopened at 10:10 a.m

The bicyclist critically injured was flown to the Queen's Medical Center in Honolulu.