A Puna man died after crashing on a motorcycle on the Daniel K. Inouye Highway in Hawaii island Wednesday morning.

The Hawaii Police Department said the man, later identified as 44-year-old Tyson Garcia, was found at around 8:30 a.m. around the 31- and 32-mile markers of the highway after they received a report of a motorcycle and a body found near pasture land off the highway.

HPD reported that Garcia had been riding a 2014 Harley Davidson motorcycle west on the highway and struck a curb after trying to “negotiate a curve to the left in the roadway.”

Police said they believe that Garcia, who was not wearing a helmet, and the motorcycle went airborne over a fence and landed in the pasture several yards away.

He was transported to the Hilo Medical Center and pronounced dead at 11:36 a.m. An autopsy has been ordered to determine the cause of Garcia’s death.

Police said that speed and riding without a helmet contributed to the fatality. Police said no other vehicles were believed to be involved.

It was the 22nd fatal traffic collision of the year, up from 13 fatalities in the same time period in 2020.

The growing number of traffic fatalities is concerning, said HPD officials, who plans on completing “traffic enforcement projects” during the weekend on the DKI highway in response.

Anyone with information about the fatal collision can call Officer Clifford Antonio at 808-961-2339 or via email at Clifford.Antonio@HawaiiCounty.gov. Anonymous tips can be provided to Crime Stoppers at 808-961-8300.