Police identify victim in Hilo traffic-related death

Hawaii Island police on Wednesday identified the victim of a traffic-related incident Aug. 24 on Puainako Street in Hilo.

The victim was identified as 62-year-old Allen Y.L. Kealoha, of Pahoa.

At 6:20 a.m. Aug. 24, South Hilo patrol officers responded to the Puainako Street extension near mile marker 3 for a report of a man that had been struck by a vehicle. Responding officers determined that the victim had stopped his commercial flatbed delivery truck on the side of the road, just above the entrance to the Hilo Hillside subdivision. It’s believed the vehicle may have experienced mechanical issues, and that the driver was securing his cargo. Investigators believe the delivery driver was subsequently struck by his own vehicle.

Witnesses reported seeing another vehicle with two male occupants to be in the area around the same time.

The victim was transported to the Hilo Medical Center where he was later pronounced dead.

Area I Criminal Investigation Division and Area I Traffic Enforcement Unit personnel responded to the scene and are continuing this investigation, which is currently classified as a coroner’s inquest.

An autopsy was performed, and based on the known circumstances in this investigation, the forensic pathologist ruled the death as accidental. The final autopsy report is pending.

Anyone with information on this incident or who may have been in the area of the Puainako Street extension between 6 and 6:30 a.m. Aug. 24 to contact the department’s nonemergency number at (808) 935-3311 or Detective Blaine Morishita of the Area I Criminal Investigation Section at (808) 961-2385 or Blaine.Morishita@hawaiicounty.gov.

Those who prefer to remain anonymous may call the islandwide Crime Stoppers number at (808) 961-8300.