A man was killed and a woman injured in a single-vehicle crash that occurred on Sunday evening on Highway 137 near mile marker 13 in Pahoa.
Responding to the 7:37 p.m. Sunday report, Puna patrol officers determined two occupants were traveling south on the highway in a 2005 Nissan Frontier pickup truck when it veered off into the right shoulder and struck an embankment, sending the vehicle airborne. The vehicle then struck a nearby tree before coming to a rest.
The driver, a 41-year-old Pahoa man, was unresponsive at the scene. He was transported to the Hilo Medical Center where he was later pronounced dead. An autopsy has been ordered to determine the exact cause of death.
The driver’s identity is being withheld at this time pending positive identification and notification of the family.
The passenger, a 44-year-old woman from Pahoa, suffered minor injuries as a result of the crash and was transported to Hilo Medical Center for further treatment.
Police believe speed and inattention are contributing factors to this crash.
Anyone who may have witnessed the crash or who has information about it should contact Officer Clifford Antonio at (808) 961-2339 or via email at Clifford.Antonio@HawaiiCounty.gov. Those who prefer to remain anonymous may call Crime Stoppers islandwide at (808) 961-8300.
This is the fifth fatality on Big Island public roads this year, compared with eight at this point in 2022.