South Kohala officer honored for helping stranded motorist on highway

A dead vehicle on a busy South Kohala highway can turn dangerous fast, especially when traffic is moving past Kawaihae Road and there is no easy place to wait. That is why Officer Andrew Love Jr. was recognized on June 12 as Officer of the Quarter for the first quarter of 2026 after helping a stranded motorist whose vehicle had run out of diesel fuel.

The Hawaii Police Department said Love was honored by the Hawaii Island Safety and Security Professionals Association for exemplary service in assisting the driver on November 26, 2025. The recognition focused on a kind of police work that rarely makes headlines but can make an immediate difference on Hawaii Island, where long drives, rural stretches and high-speed corridors can leave a broken-down vehicle exposed to traffic, weather and other hazards.

South Kohala covers Kawaihae, Puakō, Waikoloa and Waimea, an area where motorists depend heavily on major roads to reach work, school, medical appointments and the coast. That makes roadside assistance more than a courtesy. On Kawaihae Road, also known as Highway 19, a disabled vehicle can quickly become a traffic hazard, and the risk is not theoretical. South Kohala officers responded at 1:22 p.m. on May 10 to a fatal collision near the 65-mile marker, underscoring how quickly trouble on that corridor can escalate.

The department said its mission is to work in partnership with the community to enforce the law, protect the peace and preserve the spirit of aloha on Hawaii Island. Love’s recognition fits that broader role by highlighting an officer who helped a motorist get out of danger and back on the road instead of simply waiting for the situation to worsen. It also reflects the role community groups like HISSPA play in publicly recognizing everyday professionalism, not just arrests or investigations.

HISSPA has used its Officer of the Quarter program repeatedly in South Kohala to spotlight that kind of work. Officer Kiley Loo was recognized in November 2025 for the third quarter of 2025 after issuing 312 traffic citations and making half of the DUI arrests on his watch. Officer Travis Wong was recognized in March 2026 for the fourth quarter of 2025, while Officer Kelena Kealoha and Officer Landon Takenishi were recognized in 2025 for earlier quarters. Earlier honorees included Officer Severo Ines Jr. in 2018 and Officer Cal-Jason Hoopai in 2017. For motorists stranded in similar conditions, the message from South Kohala is clear: pull over as safely as possible, stay visible, and get help before a roadside breakdown becomes a traffic emergency.