Gene Williams

Police Officer Gene Williams was killed after being struck by a vehicle while directing traffic on Honoapiilani Highway, near Halawai Drive.

He was working the off-duty job directing traffic at a roadway construction site at approximately 3:00 a.m. when he stopped a vehicle. A pickup truck, being driven by a drunk driver, struck that vehicle from behind, rupturing the gas tank. The car burst into flames and rolled onto Officer Williams, trapping him underneath.

The driver of the pickup truck fled on foot. He was later captured and charged with negligent homicide, failure to render aid, and driving under the influence. The 25-year-old driver, an illegal Mexican immigrant, was convicted of negligent homicide and sentenced to 10 years in prison with an order that he be deported to Mexico upon completion of his sentence.

Officer Williams was the first Maui officer to be killed while directing traffic since 1941.

Officer Williams had served as an intelligence agent for the U.S. Army and had been with the Maui Police Department for four years.

He is survived by his wife and two children.