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Two Die of Injuries in Separate Traffic Accidents 04-08-01

HAWAII COUNTY POLICE DEPARTMENT
TRAFFIC ENFORCEMENT UNIT
SERGEANT SAMUEL V. JELSMA
PHONE: 961-2332
APRIL 8, 2001
G-63625/G-63619

MEDIA RELEASE

Two persons died over the weekend of injuries they suffered in separate traffic accidents.

The first victim, identified as Claysen H. Kainoa, 22, of a Captain Cook, South Kona, address, died Saturday (April 7, 2001) at Queen’s Medical Center in Honolulu. He was injured in a motorcycle crash that occurred on March 30, 2001, in Kailua-Kona.

The second victim, identified as Mark K. Makuakane, 30, of a Wainaku address in Hilo, died Sunday (April 8, 2001) after his car ran into a palm tree located in the center median on Banyan Drive in Hilo earlier in the morning.

In the Kailua-Kona accident, police officers responding to a 2:58 p.m. call on Friday, March 30, determined that Kainoa was riding a 1988 Yamaha motorcycle east on Henry street when he tried to overtake another vehicle, lost control and ran onto the right shoulder of the road. The victim was thrown from the motorcycle and struck his head on a retaining wall.

Kainoa, who was not wearing a helmet at the time, was taken to the Kona Community Hospital and later transported to Queen’s Medical Center, where he was pronounced dead at 7:35 p.m. Saturday the following week.

In the Hilo accident, police responding to a 3:05 a.m. call Sunday (April 8), determined that Makuakane was driving a 1988 Toyota sedan south toward Kamehameha Avenue on Banyan Drive just past Banyan Way when his car failed to negotiate a bend in the road, ran onto the center median and struck a palm tree. The victim, who had not been wearing his seatbelt, suffered head injuries.

Makuakane was taken to the Hilo Medical Center, where he was pronounced dead at 4:17 a.m. Sunday (April 8).

Traffic Enforcement Unit officers are continuing investigations into the traffic accidents and have ordered autopsies to determine the exact causes of the deaths. Speed and alcohol are believed to have been factors in the Hilo crash, which occurred on a street with 25 mile-an-hour speed limit.

The traffic deaths are the fifth and sixth on the Big Island so far this year, compared to eight and nine during the same period last year.

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