HAWAII COUNTY POLICE DEPARTMENT
TRAFFIC ENFORCEMENT UNIT
SERGEANT SAMUEL V. JELSMA
PHONE: 961-2332
JULY 12, 1999
F-99161
MEDIA RELEASE UPDATE
Police have identified the driver of a 1986 Nissan sedan that had been involved in a head-on collision June 30, 1999, on Queen Kaahumanu in North Kona.
The victim was identified as Susan Herrera, 50, of Kailua-Kona. She had been the sole occupant of her car at the time of the 10:25 p.m. accident, which occurred near the 90-mile marker and in which two persons were killed.
The other victim was Sotero Sagabaen, 88.
After the collision, Herrera’s vehicle caught fire. Other motorists attempted to pull her from the car but were unable to do so because of the extreme heat of the fire. They were able to pull Sagabaen and his wife, Lilia, 63, the driver, from their 1988 Chevrolet van before it, too, became engulfed in flames.
Because of the burns Herrera received, police had initially been unable to determine her identity. Through an investigation, however, they were able later to verify her identity.
So far this year, the number of traffic fatalities stands at 14, compared to 20 at the same time last year.
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