A 19-year-old Kailua-Kona man died Saturday (April 5) from injuries he received in a one-vehicle crash on Queen Kaahumanu Highway, .3 miles north of the 95-mile marker.

The victim was identified as Thomas Keliinohomoku of a Kailua-Kona address.

Responding to a 1:58 a.m. call, Kona patrol officers determined that a 25-year-old Kailua-Kona man was operating a 2004 Toyota pickup truck and traveling south on Queen Kaahumanu Highway when he overtook another vehicle at a high rate of speed, lost control, ran off the road and overturned.

The driver and two passengers who were riding in the bed of the pickup truck were ejected from the vehicle. The driver was not wearing his seatbelt.

Fire Rescue personnel took the occupants to Kona Community Hospital, where Keliinohomoku died at 3:50 a.m.

The driver of the Toyota, Liko Asing of Kailua-Kona was arrested for negligent homicide, negligent injury, operating a vehicle under the influence of an intoxicant, reckless driving and four counts of reckless endangering. Asing was released pending further investigation because he and the other passenger were going to be flown to The Queens Medical Center in Honolulu. They were listed in critical condition.

Investigation further revealed that there was some type of altercation between the three men in the Toyota and four men in a 2004 Ford pickup truck at a gas station in Kailua-Kona. The Ford then left, traveling north on Queen Kaahumanu Highway, at which time the three men in the Toyota followed. It appears that the Toyota began chasing the Ford and attempted to run it off the road.

The driver of the Ford turned around in the area of Keahole Airport and started traveling back toward Kailua-Kona. The driver of the Toyota continued to chase the vehicle and in the area of the 95-mile marker overtook the Ford, lost control, ran off the road and overturned. The occupants of the Ford were not injured.

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

This is the 11th traffic fatality on the Big Island this year compared with 10 at this time last year.