Hawaii Police Department
Traffic Enforcement Unit
Sergeant Christopher D. Gali
Phone: 961-2332
October 13, 2007
Report No. C07033142

Media Release

A 55-year-old Big Island man was killed Saturday (October 13) from injuries he sustained in a motor vehicle/motorcycle crash on Hawaii Belt Road (Route 11) in the area of the 106-mile marker.

Responding to a 2:05 p.m. call, Kona patrol officers determined that the victim was operating a Harley Davidson motorcycle along with his female passenger and traveling north on Hawaii Belt Road when a 49-year-old Captain Cook man operating a 1999 Ford Ranger pickup truck and traveling south made a left turn in front of the motorcycle.

Fire Department personnel took the unidentified female motorcycle passenger to Kona Community Hospital in critical condition. She was to be flown to The Queens Medical Center on Oahu. The motorcycle operator and passenger were not wearing helmets.

The driver of the pickup truck and his 37-year-old female passenger were not injured. They were both wearing their seat belts.

The victim was transported to Kona Community Hospital, where he was pronounced dead at 4:45 p.m. His name is being withheld pending notification of next of kin.

The driver of the pickup truck was arrested for negligent homicide and negligent injury and was being held at the Kealakehe Police Station.

It is unknown at this time if alcohol or drugs were involved but speed did play a factor in the crash.

Traffic Enforcement Unit officers have ordered an autopsy to determine the exact cause of death.

Police ask anyone with information about this crash to call Officer Joshua Lewis at 326-4646, extension 229.

This is the 32^nd traffic fatality on the Big Island this year compared with 29 at this time last year.