Maui County has marked its first traffic fatality of the new year with the death of a woman following a solo crash in Paia on Wednesday morning.

She has been identified as Jean Schleager, 49, of Haiku.

“The Maui Police Department extends our deepest condolences to Ms. Schleager’s family and friends,” said police in a news release.

Based on a preliminary investigation, police said at about 10 a.m., Schleager was driving a 2000 Toyota 4-Runner on Baldwin Avenue when she failed to navigate a left bend in the roadway and then drifted right onto the grass shoulder.

She overcorrected to the left, and then lost control of the SUV and hit a curb, fire hydrant and fence before flipping over. The SUV was found resting on its roof.

Schleager was partially ejected from the car, according to police, and died at the scene. She was not wearing a seat belt, and the car’s airbags did not deploy.

Police said speed was a factor in this collision, but are still investigating the involvement of alcohol and drugs.

Police said this was Maui County’s first fatality of 2025, compared to zero at the same time last year.