Hawaiʻi Police Department
Traffic Enforcement Unit
Sergeant Christopher D. Gali
Phone: 961-2332
Report No. C12009047
Media Release
A 31-year-old Honokaʻa man died Wednesday (April 4) from injuries he sustained in a motor vehicle/motorcycle crash on Route 190 .2 miles north of the 14-mile marker in the South Kohala District.
Responding to a 11:26 a.m call, South Kohala patrol officers determined that the motorcyclist was operating a 2006 Suzuki motorcycle and traveling north on Route 190 when he attempted to overtake a vehicle also traveling north.
The motorcycle struck the left rear corner of a 2011 Chevrolet four-door sedan, lost control and struck a guardrail.
The motorcyclist was not wearing a helmet.
The 48-year-old male driver of the Chevrolet, his 46-year-old wife and two children—boys ages 8 and 14—of California were not injured.
The motorcyclist was taken to Kona Community Hospital, where he was pronounced dead at 3:13 p.m.
It is unknown at this time if alcohol or drugs were involved but speed was a factor in this crash.
The name of the motorcyclist is being withheld pending positive identification and notification of the next of kin.
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 this crash to call Officer Thomas Koyanagi at 326-4646, extension 229.
This is the eighth traffic fatality on the Big Island this year compared with six at this time last year.
