A 16-year-old Keaau boy died Friday (January 4) from injuries he sustained in a motor vehicle/pedestrian crash on the Hawaii Belt Road (Route 11) at the 8 mile-marker in Keaau.

The pedestrian was identified as Kaipo L. Sioloa of a Keaau address.

Responding to a 12:12 a.m. call, Puna patrol and Traffic Enforcement Unit officers determined that the boy was crossing the highway in a westerly-to-easterly direction when he was struck in the outer northbound lane of the highway by a 19-year-old Keaau man who was operating a 1990 Toyota 4-door sedan.

The pedestrian was not in a crosswalk.

Fire Department personnel took the boy to Hilo Medical Center, where he died at 8:35 a.m.

The driver of the vehicle was not injured.

Police do not believe that speed was a factor in the crash but learned that the victim had consumed alcohol before he was hit.

Traffic Enforcement Unit officers have initiated a negligent homicide investigation and have ordered an autopsy to determine the exact cause of death.

Police ask anyone with information about this case to call Officer Robert Pauole at 961-8119.

This is the first traffic fatality on the Big Island this year compared with none at this time last year.