A 27-year-old Kona woman died Tuesday following a one-car crash on Mamalahoa Highway in Kailua-Kona, according to the Hawaii Police Department.
She was identified as Hannah Fergerstrom of Kailua-Kona, police said.
In response to a 1:15 a.m. call Tuesday, police determined a 2000 Volkswagen two-door sedan traveling north on Mamalahoa Highway at mile marker 27 lost control, crossed the center line and struck a utility pole on the makai side of the road.
Fergerstrom, who was a passenger in the vehicle, was taken to Kona Community Hospital, where she died at 5:45 a.m. The driver of the Volkswagen, 34-year-old Randall Kawasaki of Waimea, was taken to North Hawaii Community Hospital. Neither occupant was wearing a seat belt at the time of the crash, police said.
Kawasaki was arrested for negligent homicide, manslaughter, operating a vehicle under the influence of an intoxicant, promoting dangerous drugs, drug paraphernalia and no insurance. After conferring with prosecutors, police released Kawasaki pending further investigation.
Speed and drug use may have been factors in the crash, police said.
This is the second fatality this year.
