U.S. soldier killed in training incident on Big Island
LAURA RUMINSKI / WEST HAWAII TODAY
A military tractor-trailer carrying heavy equipment crashed through a guardrail and flipped over an embankment, killing the passenger and injuring the driver, along Route 190 in North Kona.
LAURA RUMINSKI / WEST HAWAII TODAY
Authorities investigate at the scene of a tractor-trailer crash at the Route 190 and Daniel K. Inouye intersection Sunday. The crash killed one Army soldier and injured another soldier who was driving.
A 36-year-old U.S. solider has died during a training incident on Hawaii island.
Army Major John Landry says two soldiers were inside a military truck and were hauling equipment to a dock. He says one soldier died and a second soldier was injured and released from the hospital.
Both soldiers had been assigned to the 25th Infantry Division on Oahu.
Big Island police say the incident happened in North Kona about 7:30 a.m. Sunday as a 20-year-old man was towing heavy machinery on a military tractor-trailer on Daniel K. Inouye Highway.
The man lost control while turning left at the three-way intersection with Route 190 and the tractor-trailer struck the southbound guardrail on Route 190 before overturning into a culvert, police say.
The front seat passenger was taken to Kona Community Hospital where he died at 12:35 p.m. Sunday. The driver was taken to North Hawaii Community Hospital.
An autopsy has been ordered to determine the older man’s exact cause of death. It was the 11th traffic-related facility this year compared to 10 at this time last year.
Landry says the cause of the incident is under investigation, and the Army plans to release the names of both soldiers Tuesday.
Landry says no other vehicle was damaged in the incident.
He says the Army’s thoughts and thoughts and prayers are with the friends and family of the two soldiers.
