HAWAII COUNTY POLICE DEPARTMENT
TRAFFIC ENFORCEMENT UNIT
SERGEANT CHRISTOPHER D. GALI
PHONE: 961-8889
MARCH 16, 2005
C05007463/KN

MEDIA RELEASE UPDATE

Police have identified a 44-year-old Kona man who was killed Wednesday (March 9, 2005) in a one-vehicle crash on Napoopoo Road about nine-tenths of a mile south of the intersection with Hawaii Belt Road (Route 11).

The victim was identified as Mark Elliot Freeman of Captain Cook.

Responding to a 6:30 p.m. call, Kona patrol officers determined that the victim was driving a 1978 Jeep Multi-Purpose Vehicle south on Napoopoo Road when he lost control of the vehicle, which ran off the road, struck an embankment and overturned. The driver, who was not wearing a seat belt, was ejected from the vehicle.

The victim was taken to the Kona Community Hospital, where he was pronounced dead at 8:28 p.m.

Traffic Enforcement Unit officers have initiated a coroner’s inquest case and ordered an autopsy to determine the exact cause of death.

Freeman’s death was the 10th traffic fatality of the year on the Big Islan, compared to seven at the same time last year.

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