A 63-year-old visitor from Michigan is dead and a Hawaii island police officer on administrative leave following an early morning collision on a notoriously dangerous stretch of Wa­ik­oloa Road in South Kohala on Sunday.

According to police, Jeffrey Surnow of West Bloomfield, Mich., was riding a bicycle east near the 11-mile marker when he was struck from behind by a vehicle operated by 30-year-old on-duty officer Jody Buddemeyer.

Buddemeyer reported the collision at 6:25 a.m.

A Hawaii County Fire Department report indicated that Surnow died at the scene, although a formal pronouncement was not made until his body was transported to North Kohala Community Hospital.

Traffic Enforcement Unit officers initiated an investigation and arrested Buddemeyer on suspicion of negligent homicide. Buddemeyer was later released pending further investigation.

According to a Hawaii County Police Department news release, the Office of Professional Standards will conduct a standard administrative investigation. Buddemeyer was placed on administrative leave pending the outcome of that investigation.

The collision occurred at a steep incline that follows a bend in the road.

"There’s no curb," said acting West Hawaii fire Battalion Chief John Whitman. "It’s very unsafe if you’re riding a bicycle."

Whitman said the rising sun would likely have been in both the rider’s and the driver’s eyes as they ascended the incline.

"You don’t usually see a lot of bicyclists in that area because it’s dangerous," Whitman said.

Police are asking anyone who witnessed the collision to call their non­emer­gency line at 935-3311 or Officer Christopher Kapua-Allison at 326-4646, ext. 229.