Man was on Alii Drive when struck by police vehicle 02-17-04

HAWAII COUNTY POLICE DEPARTMENT
TRAFFIC ENFORCEMENT UNIT
SERGEANT LEROY VICTORINO
PHONE: 961-2332
FEBRUARY 17, 2004

MEDIA RELEASE UPDATE

A 33-year-old male was on Alii Drive when he was struck and killed early Sunday (February 15, 2004) by a vehicle driven by an on-duty police officer.

Preliminary investigation results by the Traffic Enforcement Unit determined that Officer Bryan Ellis of the Kona Patrol was the lead vehicle among several units responding to a call of a disturbance at the Keauhou Pier when the incident occurred about 1:27 a.m.

According to the preliminary investigation, Ellis was driving south on Alii Drive when his sport utility vehicle struck the man, identified as Gregory Pluta, about 2.5 miles north of Royal Poinciana Drive.

Pluta, wearing a white shirt with blue pinstripes and blue jeans, was taken to the Kona Community Hospital, where he was pronounced dead at 2:34 a.m. TEU officers are continuing an investigation into the case and have ordered an autopsy to determine the exact cause of death.

Besides the TEU investigation in the case, an internal administrative investigation is also being conducted in accordance with standard operating procedure.

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