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Woman, 75, killed in Hilo collision 07-18-05

HAWAII POLICE DEPARTMENT
TRAFFIC ENFORCEMENT UNIT
SERGEANT CHRISOPHER D. GALI
PHONE: 961-2332
JULY 16, 2005
CO5023471/HL
NEGLIGENT HOMICIDE

MEDIA RELEASE

A 75-year-old woman died Saturday (July 16, 2005) of injuries she suffered in a two-vehicle collision at the intersection of Mohouli Street and Kukuau Street in the Sunrise Ridge subdivision of Hilo.

The victim was identified as Yasuko Tatsuno, of a Hilo address.

Responding to an 11:01 a.m. call, South Hilo patrol officers determined that Tatsuno was driving a 1989 Toyota four-door sedan south on Kukuau Street when she ran a stop sign and collided with 1998 Dodge pickup truck traveling west on Mohouli Street. The impact knocked the truck over.

The driver of the truck, Michael Ignacio, 59, and his 17-year-old son were taken to the Hilo Medical Center, where they were treated for minor injuries and released.

An 81-year-old female passenger in the Toyota was also taken to the hospital with critical injuries.

Tatsuno was pronounced dead at 12:30 p.m. at the hospital.

It was not known if Tatsuno was wearing her seatbelt, but all the other victims were wearing theirs.

Speed and alcohol are not considered factors in this crash. Traffic Enforcement Unit officers have initiated a standard negligent homicide investigation and ordered an autopsy to determine the exact cause of death.

Mohouli Street was closed to traffic for about two and a half hours as officers documented the scene. It was reopened to traffic at 1:30 p.m.

Saturday’s death was the 18th traffic fatality on the Big Island so far this year, compared to 25 at the same time last year.

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