One man died and a 51-year-old, Hilo man was seriously injured when their vehicles collided head-on Tuesday on the Daniel K. Inouye Highway, (Saddle Road), in the Kaumana district.

The dead man’s name was being withheld pending identification and notification of his family. Police initially said he was in his 60s and was taken in cardiac arrest to the Hilo Medical Center.

Police determined that a 2010 Mazda sedan was traveling west on the Daniel K. Inouye Highway around 4:18 p.m. between the 25 and 26-mile marker when it crossed the center line and collided head-on into a 2018 Nissan pickup that was traveling east.

The man who died was driving the Mazda. After he was taken by ambulance to the Hilo Medical Center, he was pronounced dead at 5:48 p.m.

The 51-year-old driver of the Nissan pickup was flown by a Pohakuloa Training Area helicopter to the Hilo Medical Center, where he remains in stable condition, police said today.

Both drivers were wearing seatbelts but it’s unknown if speed was a factor.

Police ask any witnesses to call Officer Clarence Acob at 961-2329. Tipsters who prefer to remain anonymous may call the islandwide Crime Stoppers at 961-8300.

The crash was the 16th traffic fatality compared to 20 at the same time last year.

Police closed the highway in both directions while they investigated the accident and reopened it before 8:18 p.m.

The fire department said 24 personnel responded.