HAWAII COUNTY POLICE DEPARTMENT
TRAFFIC ENFORCEMENT UNIT
SERGEANT LEROY VICTORINO
PHONE: 961-2332
MAY 9, 2003
MEDIA RELEASE UPDATE
Police have positively identified a 42-year-old woman who was killed May 2, 2003, in a hit-and-run accident on Mamalahoa Highway (Route 19) near Nani Waimea in South Kohala.
The victim was identified as Esther Etta Gipson, of Independence, Missouri. Police are still looking for the driver of the vehicle that struck her.
Responding to a 4:05 a.m. call, South Kohala police learned that Gipson, a pedestrian, was struck by an unknown vehicle sometime in the morning.
The victim, who suffered severe head injuries, was taken to the Kona Community Hospital, where she was pronounced dead at 10:19 a.m.
Anyone having information about the traffic death is asked to call Officer Martin Ellazar of the TEU at 326-4646, Sergeant Leroy Victorino of the TEU at the 961-2332 or the police non-emergency number at 935-3311.
Those who wish to remain anonymous may call Crime Stoppers at 961-8300 in Hilo or 329-8181 in Kona. The numbers are answered 24 hours a day. Callers will be given a coded number and their identity will remain anonymous. Callers may be eligible for a reward of up to $1,000 if their call leads to an arrest, indictment or the recovery of property. Crime Stoppers neither subscribes to “Caller ID,” nor does it record phone calls.
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