HAWAII COUNTY POLICE DEPARTMENT
AREA I OPERATIONS BUREAU
ASSISTANT CHIEF CHARLES M. CHAI
PHONE: 961-2341
APRIL 23, 2004
MEDIA RELEASE UPDATE
A 33-year-old male who was struck and killed by a vehicle driven by an on-duty police officer in February had 0.113 percent alcohol and an undetermined amount of anti-convulsion medication in his system, according to toxicological test results.
The victim, Gregory Pluta, was on Alii Drive when he was struck and killed early February 17, 2004, by a vehicle driven by Officer Bryan Ellis of the Kona Patrol.
The results of toxicological tests on Ellis show that the officer had no alcohol in his system.
A preliminary investigation by the Traffic Enforcement Unit determined that Ellis was driving the lead vehicle among several patrol 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 heading south on Alii Drive when his sport utility vehicle struck Pluta about 2.5 miles north of Royal Poinciana Drive.
Pluta was taken to the Kona Community Hospital, where he was pronounced dead at 2:34 a.m.
Besides the TEU investigation in the case, an internal administrative investigation is being conducted in accordance with standard operating procedure.
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