NANAWALE ESTATES – One person is dead following a single car crash on Nanawale Boulevard just outside of Pahoa on Saturday night.

Fire crews responded to the report of a crash at 9:21 p.m., and on arrival found a mid-sized car involved in single vehicle accident. The vehicle, which had extensive left rear and top damage, struck trees and snapped a utility pole before coming to rest in bushes 5 feet below the grade of the road.

The car came to rest at a vacant lot fronting 14-3469 Nanawale Boulevard, according to a fire dispatch.

The responders say they found one male passenger lying on ground next to the vehicle. He told responders that the driver fled the scene prior to their arrival. He also told them that he and the driver were the only occupants involved, fire crews say.

Hawaii Police were given information from a witness that “there may have been other parties in the vehicle.”

A search of area using thermal imaging equipment revealed a female in very thick brush, 10 feet from where the vehicle came to rest. She was already dead, fire crews say. The area was searched for additional occupants with negative findings.

The incident is under investigation.