Police last night were searching for the driver of a speeding car that may have caused two accidents on Pali Highway, killing a man and seriously injuring a woman.

The first accident happened just after 7 p.m. in the Honolulu-bound lanes of the highway. Witnesses told police that a car, possibly a gold compact vehicle, was speeding and weaving in and out of traffic when it apparently cut off a Honda Civic.

The driver of the Honda lost control of his vehicle and slammed into a rock wall at the corner of Coelho Way and Pali Highway.

The driver, a 43-year-old man, was taken to The Queen's Medical Center in critical condition, where he died, said Lt. Darren Izumo of HPD's Vehicular Homicide Section.

A female passenger, who appeared to be in her 50s, was taken to the hospital in serious condition, said Bryan Cheplic, spokesman for the city Emergency Services Department.

Izumo said it was not immediately known if the two cars made contact with each other before the crash. He said the Honda also may have been speeding.

There was no description of the driver of the vehicle that fled. Because police did not know if the car made contact with the Honda, it was not known if it would have any damage.

Seconds after the crash, a second accident was reported just south of Coelho Way. Izumo said the driver of the gold compact likely was involved in this accident.

No one was seriously injured in that accident.

"The driver caused both of these," Izumo said.

The fatal crash led police to close the Honolulu-bound lanes of Pali Highway while they conducted their investigation. Police later opened one lane and traffic began to flow.

Police ask that anyone with information about this incident call the Vehicular Homicide Section at 529-3499.