Media Release

A 51-year-old Pahoa man died Wednesday (January 21) from injuries he sustained in a motor vehicle/pedestrian crash at the intersection of Route 130 and Shower Drive in the Puna District.

The victim was identified as Carlos Caraballo of a Pahoa address.

Responding to an 11:49 a.m. call, Puna patrol and Traffic Enforcement Unit officers determined that the victim had exited a Hele-On bus that was stopped on the makai side of the road, walked in front of the bus and walked out into the highway. He was struck by a 1992 Nissan pickup truck that was traveling west on Route 130.

The victim then struck the front end of a 2006 Mini Cooper that was stopped in the left-turn lane on Route 130.

The driver of the pickup truck, a 43-year-old Pahoa man, and the driver of the Mini Cooper, a 60-year-old Ninole woman, were not injured.

Fire Rescue personnel took the victim to Hilo Medical Center, where he was pronounced dead at 12:33 p.m.

It is unknown at this time if alcohol was involved. Police do not believe that speed was a factor 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 anyone with information about the crash to call Officer Clarence Davies at 961-8118.

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