A 54-year-old Pepeekeo man died Thursday from injuries he suffered after the sedan he was driving sideswiped a flatbed truck on Highway 19 in Pepeekeo.
A 54-year-old Pepeekeo man died Thursday from injuries he suffered after the sedan he was driving sideswiped a flatbed truck on Highway 19 in Pepeekeo.
Police identified the man as Colin Y. Ishii.
Responding to a 1:54 p.m. call, South Hilo patrol officers determined that the 54-year-old man was operating a 1998 Toyota four-door sedan and traveling north on the highway when he crossed the centerline in the vicinity of mile marker 9 and sideswiped a 2013 Ford flatbed truck traveling south that was being operated by a 29-year-old Naalehu man, according to the Hawaii Police Department.
The driver of the Ford was not injured, according to police.
Hawaii Fire Department rescue personnel took an 82-year-old woman, who was a passenger in the Toyota, to Hilo Medical Center, according to police. She did not receive any significant injuries but was held overnight as a precaution.
The 54-year-old man was taken to Hilo Medical Center, where he was pronounced dead at 4:24 p.m., according to police.
All occupants were wearing their seat belts, according to police.
It does not appear at this time that speed, alcohol or drugs were involved, police said.
Traffic Enforcement Unit officers initiated a negligent homicide investigation and have ordered an autopsy to determine the exact cause of death.
The name of the victim is being withheld pending positive identification.
Anyone with information about this crash should call Officer Keith Nacis at 961-8119.
This is the fifth traffic fatality on a Hawaii Island public road this year compared with 12 at the same time last year.