Hawai‘i Island police have confirmed the identity of a motorcyclist killed in a collision in Pāhoa as 36-year-old Wallace Zimmerman, a local resident. The incident, which occurred last Monday, involved Zimmerman's motorcycle and a 2020 Peterbilt dump truck; witnesses to the tragic event were interviewed at the scene, according to a report by Nixle.

Zimmerman was reportedly passing other vehicles on the Mauka shoulder while heading in a south direction on Kea‘au-Pahoa Road, and his motorcycle collided with the dump truck as it was turning into a driveway in the 15-2600 block, the motorcycle and the truck met a fatal juncture that led to the accident that unfolded in the afternoon hours around 3:38 p.m., spawning a series of events that ended in tragedy. He was found unresponsive and later pronounced deceased at the Hilo Benioff Medical Center at 7:23 p.m., and law enforcement has ordered an autopsy to pinpoint the precise cause of death, as detailed by the Hawai‘i Police Department.

Current evidence suggests speed, along with the possibility of alcohol or drugs, played a role in the collision; Zimmerman was also not wearing a helmet at the time of the incident. This case, the fifth traffic-related fatality in 2025, marks a slight increase from the number of fatalities at this time last year, which stood at four.

The investigation is actively continuing with the East Hawaii Traffic Enforcement Unit taking the lead, and Officer Jerome Duarte has been designated as the point of contact for anyone who might possess additional information relevant to the case, people may reach him at (808) 961-2339 or through his email, with Duarte available at [email protected], while individuals desiring anonymity can relay their knowledge via Crime Stoppers at (808) 961-8300.