Media Release

An 87-year-old Hilo man died Sunday (February 6) from injuries he received in a motor vehicle/scooter collision at the intersection of Komohana Street and Kukuau Street in Hilo.

The victim was identified as Walter R. Steiger of a Hilo address.

Responding to a 1:20 p.m. call, South Hilo patrol officers determined that the victim was operating a 2009 Honda Metropolitan scooter and traveling west on Kukuau Street when he failed to stop at the stop sign and broadsided a 2006 Nissan Multi-purpose vehicle traveling north on Komohana Street.

The driver of the Nissan, a 51-year-old Hilo man, was not injured.

Fire rescue personnel took the Nissan passengers, a 41-year-old woman and a 9-year-old girl, to Hilo Medical Center, where they were treated for minor injuries and released.

They were all wearing their seat belts.

The scooter operator, who was wearing a helmet, was pronounced dead at Hilo Medical Center at 3 p.m.

It does not appear that alcohol, drugs or speed were involved in this crash.

Traffic Enforcement Unit officers have initiated a negligent homicide investigation and have ordered an autopsy to determine the exact cause of death.

Police ask that anyone with information about this crash call Officer Clarence Davies at 961-8118.

This is the fourth traffic fatality on the Big Island this year compared with five at this time last year.