A 32-year-old Kalihi man was killed driving the wrong way on the H-1 freeway near Kahala Mall when his motorcycle slammed head-on into a sport utility vehicle early Wednesday morning.
Police Traffic Lt. Carlene Lau said it appeared that speed and alcohol were factors in the crash.
Traffic investigators are trying to determine where the motorcyclist entered the freeway.
He was traveling in the Koko Head direction in the center town-bound lane of the H-1 freeway when his motorcycle collided with an SUV driven by a 53-year-old woman at 1:35 a.m.
Lau said the force of the impact threw the motorcyclist, who was not wearing a helmet, into the opposite Koko Head-bound lanes of the freeway.
A motorist driving at a low speed inadvertently ran over the body of the motorcyclist, police said.
The victim died at the scene.
Paramedics took the 53-year-old woman to the hospital for treatment of minor injuries.
Five minutes before the collision, police dispatchers issued a hazardous driving warning about a motorcycle traveling in the wrong direction of the H-1 freeway, Lau said.
This was Oahu’s 27th traffic death this year, compared with 28 at the same time a year ago.
Police say man died of natural causes
Hawaii County police said Wednesday they identified a decomposed body found Monday in Hilo as that of a 72-year-old Hilo man with no permanent address.
Police said his identity is being withheld pending notification of his family.
The body, found Monday off the road leading to Hilo Airport, was identified through fingerprints. An autopsy conducted Tuesday found the man died of natural causes and authorities ruled out foul play. The exact cause of death is pending results of further analysis, police said.
Residents escape house fire in Kau
Seven people escaped a fire Tuesday morning that caused $10,000 damage to a small single-story house in Kau on Hawaii island.
When firefighters arrived on Coral Parkway in Hawaii Ocean View Estates about 10:20 a.m., they found the structure engulfed, fire officials said in a news release. The cause of the fire is under investigation.
Waipahu man accused of choking woman
Police on Monday arrested a 42-year-old Waipahu man who allegedly choked his girlfriend Saturday.
Police said the man used both hands to choke her, and that she lost consciousness. Police said the two live together.
The man was arrested Monday on suspicion of felony abuse of a household member.
He was also arrested on suspicion of offenses unrelated to the abuse case: second-degree robbery, kidnapping, unauthorized control of a propelled vehicle, criminal property damage, first-degree attempted burglary and first-degree reckless driving.
NEIGHBOR ISLANDS
Dirt bike driver killed in crash with minivan on Big Island
A 23-year-old man died when his motorcycle struck a minivan in the Volcano area of Hawaii island Tuesday night, police said.
Police identified the victim as Ronson Bento, of Volcano.
Bento’s 2003 Honda XR100R dirt bike was heading north on Route 11 with no lights on when it struck a southbound 2005 Dodge Caravan making a left turn onto Nahelelani Street about 8:30 p.m., Hawaii County police said in a news release.
The driver of the van, a 48-year-old Volcano woman, was not injured.
Bento, who was not wearing a helmet, was thrown from his bike, police said. Paramedics took him to Hilo Medical Center, where he was pronounced dead at 9:30 p.m.
The dirt bike had no license plate and was not equipped to be lawfully operated on a public highway, police said.
Police ask anyone who may have witnessed the crash or operation of the dirt bike before the collision to call Officer William Brown at 965-2716.
Bento’s death is the 12th traffic fatality in Hawaii County this year compared to seven at this time last year.
