Hawaii Island police have opened a negligent homicide investigation and are searching for the driver of an unknown vehicle involved in a fatal pedestrian hit-and-run collision in Kau early Sunday.

Kevin Adonay Catellanos-Rodriguez, 25, was killed in the collision on Mamalahoa Highway near the intersection of Kaalualu Road in Naalehu.

Police said officers responded to the incident at 3:59 a.m. and investigators determined that a vehicle, possibly a pickup truck or SUV-type vehicle, struck Catellanos-Rodriguez, who may have been in the middle of the northbound lane.

Police said the driver of the vehicle fled in an unknown direction.

Catellanos-Rodriguez was transported to the Kona Community Hospital, where he was pronounced dead at 10:28 a.m.

Police ask anyone who witnessed the collision to contact Officer Dayson Taniguchi at (808) 326-4646, ext. 229, or at dayson.taniguchi@hawaiicounty.gov. Tipsters who prefer to remain anonymous may call Crime Stoppers at (808) 961-8300.

Police said this is the fifth traffic fatality this year compared with two at this time last year.