Authorities in Hawai‘i are actively investigating a severe traffic accident that occurred in North Kona, which left a 75-year-old man from Kailua-Kona fighting for his life in the hospital. The incident took place on Old Māmalahoa Highway just north of Pu‘uanahulu. It was reported that the elderly driver's gray 2009 Nissan Frontier pickup truck veered across the double-solid yellow lines before running off the road, hitting a rock embankment, and flipping over. The Hawai‘i Police Department indicated that the driver was not wearing a seatbelt when the crash happened.
Police responded to the scene at around 1:19 a.m. and have begun investigating the sequence of events that led to the incident. The victim, whose name has not been released, sustained critical injuries. He was initially transported to Queen’s North Hawai‘i Community Hospital and later moved to Queen’s Medical Center on Oahu, where he remains in critical condition, according to a recent update from the police.
With the investigation still underway and details scarce, the Area II Traffic Enforcement Unit is calling on any witnesses to step forward. They've initiated a major traffic collision investigation, hoping to fully understand how to completely prevent such a collision from reoccurring. Officer Dayson Taniguchi, the point of contact for this case, can be reached at (808) 326-4646, ext. 229, or via email at [email protected], as mentioned in the official police report.
For those preferring to provide information anonymously, tips can also be given through Crime Stoppers at (808) 961-8300. As the Hawai‘i Police Department continues to actively gather information, they urge the public to help ensure to directly contribute to a comprehensive investigation. Further details will be shared as they become available.
