A tragic incident in North Kona has increased Hawaii's traffic fatality count to 28 this year, with a 19-year-old male from Kailua-Kona succumbing to injuries sustained in a two-vehicle collision, as per a report from Nixle. The collision occurred on Friday evening, and the authorities were notified around 6:42 p.m about the serious accident that involved a sport bike and an SUV on the Queen Kaahumanu Highway.
The young man was riding a green 2024 Kawasaki Ninja southbound and while overtaking multiple vehicles, he collided head-on with a silver 2021 Honda CR-V, driven by a 65-year-old woman from Kamuela, the high-speed impact leading to catastrophic outcomes, the precise identification of the deceased is pending as of now with the next of kin yet to be notified. The rider was pronounced dead after being transported to Kona Community Hospital, marking a sorrowful end to the incident.
The driver of the Honda CR-V, on the other hand, suffered minor injuries and was taken to North Hawai’i Community Hospital for treatment, afterwards she was released. The local police, specifically the Area II Traffic Enforcement Unit, has since initiated a Coroner's Inquest investigation into the matter.
Authorities are currently seeking information from any witnesses that may have been present; Officer Dayson Taniguchi can be contacted with details regarding the collision, or anonymous tips can be directed to Crime Stoppers as the community reacts to the increase in this year's traffic-related deaths, a number that has nearly doubled since last year when there were 15 fatalities recorded at the same point in time.
