Police arrest man who crashed truck into cooled lava flow

KAILUA-KONA — Hawaii Island police have arrested a 55-year-old Government Beach Road resident after he circumvented a traffic checkpoint and crashed his vehicle into a hardened lava flow which had crossed the road.

At approximately 10:30 p.m. Thurdsay, a man drove up to a police checkpoint at the intersection of Highway 137, (Beach Road), and Highway 132, otherwise known as “Four Corners.” He identified himself as a resident of an area known as “Cinder Land” located in the nearby vicinity and demanded passage through the checkpoint to drive up Highway 132 to view the lava. He was instructed to turn around, according to the Hawaii Police Department.

Approximately an hour later, police said, the same man was brought back to the checkpoint by another resident with lacerations and injuries to his head and face. The man told police he had smashed his truck into some lava but was unsure where this had occurred.

A rescue ensued, and the party was transported to Hilo Medical Center for treatment of his injuries, according to police.

Officers searched the area and located the man’s 1993 Toyota pickup with front-end damage near mile marker 5 on Highway 132, about 2 miles above Four Corners, police said.

Officers determined the vehicle had crashed into the cooled edge of the lava flow that had crossed and blocked Highway 132. Apparently, being denied entry by police, the driver was able to circumvent the checkpoints in an illegal attempt to see the lava.

Officers investigating the crash, and later having additional contact with the man at the hospitalm detected signs of intoxication and subsequently arrested him for suspicion of driving under the incluence of an intoxicant. He was also cited for loitering/refusing to leave a designated evacuation zone, and failing to wear his seatbelt. Because of his admittance to Hilo Medical Center, he was released pending further investigation on the drunken driving charge.

Anyone with information regarding the incident should call Officer Elik Vodovoz of the Puna District at 965-2716 or the department’s nonemergency telephone number 935-3311.