HAWAII COUNTY POLICE DEPARTMENT
TRAFFIC ENFORCEMENT UNIT
SERGEANT LEROY VICTORINO
PHONE: 961-2332
SEPTEMBER 7, 2003
H-62222
MEDIA RELEASE
A 66-year-old female was killed and a 69-year-old male was seriously injured Saturday (September 6, 2003) from injuries received in a two-car collision on Hawaii Belt Road (Route 19) in Kalopa in the Hamakua District.
The victim was identified as Mabel Ishii, of Paauilo, Hamakua.
Responding to a 7:15 p.m. call, Hamakua police officers determined that Ishii was driving her 1985 Honda sedan north on the old Paauhau Airstrip Road, and as she was taking a left turn onto Hawaii Belt Road, her car was struck broadside by an eastbound 1990 Nissan pickup truck driven by Aaron Jones of Keaau, Puna.
Ishii was taken to the Hilo Medical Center, where she was pronounced dead at 10:45 p.m. A passenger in Ishii’s vehicle was taken to the North Hawaii Community Hospital and confined in serious condition. The two occupants in the Nissan pickup were not injured in the incident.
Traffic Enforcement Unit officers are continuing an investigation into the collision and have ordered an autopsy to determine the exact cause of death.
This was the 21st traffic fatality so far this year on the Big Island, compared to 18 at the same time last year.
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