A 61-year-old motorcyclist has died in a hit-and-run crash in South Kona.
He is identified as Mark Brown of Nevada.
It was the third deadly crash that occurred Monday on Hawaii island.
The collision occurred at about 7:19 p.m. Monday near the 88-mile marker of Hawaii Belt Road, Highway 11. Police said a black
2009 Cadillac sedan was traveling north on Highway 11 when it rear-ended a
Harley-Davidson motorcycle and fled the scene.
The vehicle was later found abandoned at the
intersection of Hawaii Belt and Lani Kona roads, about a half-mile north of the crash site. Police obtained information that a female was observed walking away from the sedan and was last seen walking barefoot, east on Lani Kona Road.
There are no arrests at this time.
When firefighters arrived at the scene, they observed a bystander performing
cardiopulmonary resuscitation on Brown. Firefighters conducted advanced lifesaving treatment before Brown was transported to Kona Community Hospital where he was later pronounced dead.
This was the 19th traffic-related fatality compared with 20 at the same time last year.
Police are asking anyone with information on the hit-and-run to call police officer Kimo Keliipaakaua at
326-4646.
Police responded to
two other separate deadly crashes that occurred hours earlier Monday in Keaau and North Kona.
A 48-year-old Hilo man identified as Peter Veincent Jr. died in a single-vehicle crash on Highway 130 in Keaau.
At about 12:57 a.m. Monday, a 2001 Mazda operated by Veincent was traveling south on the highway
when the vehicle crossed the centerline and struck
a rock embankment at the intersection of Pohaku Place.
Medics treated and transported Veincent to Hilo Medical Center where he was pronounced dead.
Police said it is unknown whether speed, alcohol or drugs were involved. An
autopsy is scheduled to be performed to determine the exact cause of death.
Approximately six hours later in North Kona, a four-vehicle crash occurred near the 18-mile marker of Mamalahoa Highway Route 190.
Police said a 2004 Ford pickup truck operated
by 45-year-old Gerald
Wahinekapu of Kailua-Kona
was traveling south on
the highway when he crossed the centerline and sideswiped a 2002 Ford pickup truck operated by an 18-year-old Kailua-Kona man at about 6:43 a.m.
Wahinekapu’s pickup truck proceeded south
in the oncoming lane and collided head-on with a 2015 Ram pickup truck
operated by a 32-year-old
Kailua-Kona man traveling north.
Police said a 2018 Dodge sport utility vehicle operated by a 36-year-old Virginia man sustained damage from debris caused by the collision between the pickup trucks.
Wahinekapu sustained critical injuries and was transported to Kona Community Hospital where
he was later pronounced dead. An autopsy will be performed.
Police said the 2002
Ford pickup driver and his passenger and the Ram pickup truck driver and
his passengers sustained minor injuries in the
crash.
The Dodge SUV driver was uninjured.
Police believe inattention was a factor in the collision.