- Hawaii Police Department - https://www.hawaiipolice.com -

Moped fatality 12-23-10

Hawai’i Police Department
Traffic Enforcement Unit
Christopher D. Gali
Phone: 961-2332-
December 23, 2010
Report No. C10034750

Media Release

A 23-year-old Captain Cook man died Monday (December 20) at The Queen’s Medical Center in Honolulu from injuries he sustained in a motor vehicle/moped crash which occurred on Saturday (December 18) at the intersection of Queen Kaahumanu Highway and Kealakehe Parkway.

The victim was identified as Kainoa Austin Abril of a Captain Cook address.

Responding to a 4:36 p.m. call, Kona patrol officers determined that a 44-year-old Kailua-Kona man was operating a 2005 Ford F-350 pick-up truck facing south and making a left turn from Queen Kaahumanu Highway onto Kealakehe Parkway when he struck a moped traveling north.

Abril, who was the moped operator, and his passenger, a 17-year-old girl from Illinois, were transported to Kona Community Hospital by Fire Rescue personnel.

Abril was later flown to The Queen’s Medical Center in critical condition. He died Monday (December 20) at 4:30 p.m.

The driver of Ford F-350 and his passengers were not injured.

The driver, Benjie Antolin, was arrested for two negligent injury cases and was released pending further investigation. 

Traffic Enforcement Unit officers have reclassified the negligent injury case for Abril to a negligent homicide investigation. An autopsy has been ordered to determine the exact cause of death.

Police ask that anyone who may have information regarding this case to call Officer Larry Flowers at 326-4646, extension 229.

This is the 28th traffic fatality on the Big Island this year compared with 22 at the same time last year.