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A 45-year-old Kawaihae man died Wednesday from injuries he received when the car he was passenger in hit the rear of a boom truck on Queen Kaahumanu Highway in Kailua-Kona.
Hawaii County police identified the victim as David Arbon. The driver, a 44-year-old Kailua-Kona woman, was taken to Kona Community Hospital in serious condition.
Both speed and alcohol appear to be factors in the crash, police said.
Police opened a negligent homicide investigation and an autopsy will be done to determine the cause of death.
The driver, who was wearing a seat belt, was being treated for serious injuries. The passenger, who was not wearing a seat belt, was pronounced dead at 9:06 p.m. at the hospital.
Police said that a 2002 Chrysler PT Cruiser rear-ended a 2002 Chevy C7500 boom truck that was stopped in the outside lane with workers changing burned-out street lamps. A 41-year-old Keaau man who was standing outside the boom truck and a 53-year-old Hilo man, who was inside the raised boom bucket, were not injured.
The accident occurred at 8:23 p.m. on Queen Kaahumanu Highway about 300 yards north of Palani Road.
Anyone with information about this crash is asked to call officer Thomas Koyanagi at 326-4646, extension 229.
This is the 17th traffic fatality on Hawaii island this year, compared with 14 at this time last year.
