A 71-year-old Pahoa woman has been identified as the pedestrian killed in a Hilo collision last Thursday evening, after a car struck her at a busy intersection and she died within minutes. Hawaii County police say Pamela Lovett was hit at 7:15 p.m. at the intersection of Kanoelehua Avenue and East Kahaopea Street and was pronounced dead just ten minutes later.
According to the Honolulu Star-Advertiser, a 39-year-old Pahoa man was driving a 2023 Kia four-door sedan Hilo-bound on Kanoelehua Avenue when it struck Lovett. Hawaii News Now, however, reported that the driver of the Kia was a 38-year-old Pahoa man, and that he was not hurt in the crash. Lovett was found unresponsive at the scene before she was pronounced dead.
Initial Police Account Points to Area Outside Crosswalk
Per an initial police report cited by Big Island Now, Lovett was reportedly crossing the road outside a marked crosswalk at the time of the collision. The Star-Advertiser's report adds that police do not believe speed and inattention were factors in the crash at this time. The Area I, or East Hawaii, Traffic Enforcement Unit responded to the scene and is still investigating, the outlet notes.
An autopsy was ordered to determine Lovett's exact cause of death. Police have asked anyone with information about the collision to contact Officer Johnathan Rapoza at 808-961-2339 or by email at [email protected]. Those who wish to remain anonymous can call Crime Stoppers at 808-961-8300.
Fatalities Climbing Across Hawaii Island in 2026
Lovett's death marked the 28th traffic fatality on the island this year, compared with 17 at the same point in 2025, according to the Star-Advertiser's report. Big Island Now independently confirmed the same year-over-year comparison in its own coverage of the crash. The rise comes as East Hawaii's Traffic Enforcement Unit continues to investigate the circumstances behind last week's fatal collision on Kanoelehua Avenue.
