Hawaiʻi Police Department
Traffic Enforcement Unit, Area I
Sergeant Christopher D. Gali
Phone: 961-2332
Report No. C16014517
Media Release
A 78-year-old Puna man died Friday (May 27) in a vehicle-pedestrian collision at the Keaʻau Transfer Station.
He has been identified as Gary S. Ambrose of Keaʻau.
In response to an 11:13 a.m. call, officers determined that Abrose was facing west at a trash shoot to dump garbage when he was struck by a 1990 Dodge van being operated by 66-year-old Perla Whitehawk-Taylor of Hilo. He was pronounced dead at Hilo Medical Center at 2:40 p.m.
Whitehawk-Taylor was also taken to the hospital, where she was treated and released to the custody of police, who arrested her on suspicion of first-degree negligent homicide and driving under the influence. She remains in police custody while police continue the investigation.
Because this collision didn’t occur on a public highway, it is not counted as a fatality for statistical purposes.