Hawaii County police identified today an 84-year-old woman who died after a single-car crash in Pahala Monday.

Julia Gonzaga was a front-seat passenger in a 2012 Mazda minivan driven by an 84-year-old Pahala man traveling south on Highway 11 near the 51-mile marker.

Police said the van ran off the west shoulder, hit a rock embankment, veered across the highway and struck the embankment on the east shoulder.

Police got the call at 12:29 p.m.

Gonzaga sustained critical injuries, and was taken to the Hilo Medical Center, where she was pronounced dead at 2:08 p.m.

The Traffic Enforcement Unit has initiated a negligent homicide investigation. Any witnesses are asked to call Officer Justin Hooser at 326-4646, ext. 229. Anonymous calls may be made to CrimeStoppers at 961-8300.

This was the 12th traffic fatality this year compared to 17 the same time last year.