Two Hawaii island men were killed and four other people injured in a head-on collision on Highway 19 near Ono­mea on the Hama­kua Coast on Sunday night, county officials said.

Police identified one of the men as Miles T. Naka­ni­shi, 61, of Hilo. The name of the 65-year-old Haka­lau man who also died was not released, pending positive identification and notification of next of kin.

According to police, the 65-year-old man was driving a 1999 Chevrolet pickup truck north on the Hanawi Bridge when he crossed the centerline and collided with a 2005 Cadillac Escalade multipurpose vehicle going south, driven by Naka­ni­shi. Both drivers were dead at the scene, police said.

Emergency personnel took the passengers in the Cadillac — two women, ages 60 and 80, a 6-year-old boy and an 11-year-old girl — to Hilo Medical Center.

The children were flown to the Queen’s Medical Center and Kapiolani Medical Center for Women & Children in Hono­lulu in critical condition, while the women were in serious condition at Hilo Medical Center.

Police have opened a negligent homicide case and have ordered autopsies for the two men.

Police closed the highway for several hours and rerouted traffic to the Ono­mea scenic route while they investigated the crash.