Puna Fatality 04/04/00

HAWAII COUNTY POLICE DEPARTMENT
TRAFFIC ENFORCEMENT UNIT
SERGEANT SAMUEL V. JELSMA
PHONE: 961-2332
APRIL 5, 2000
G-24840

MEDIA RELEASE

A 46-year-old Puna man died Tuesday morning (April 4, 2000) in a one-car crash on 40th Avenue at the intersection of Napua Street in the Orchidland subdivision of Puna.

The victim was identified as Duncan Castro, of an Orchidland address.

Responding to a 7:39 a.m. report of an overturned car, police officers determined that the victim was driving his 1985 Toyota Tercel northwest on 40th Avenue when he lost control of the vehicle, which ran off the right shoulder of the road, hit a small grass embankment and turned over. Duncan, who was not wearing his seat belt, was partially thrown from the vehicle and received head injuries.

The victim was taken to the Hilo Medical Center, where he was pronounced dead at 9:40 a.m.

Traffic Enforcement Unit officers are continuing the investigation, and an autopsy has been ordered to determine the exact cause of death. Speed and alcohol are believed to have contributed to the accident.

Since Castro’s death occurred off a public roadway, it was not counted statistically as a Big Island Traffic fatality, which remains at seven so far this year, compared with three at the same time last year.

Castro’s was the second traffic fatality in a row attributed to failure to use a seat belt.

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