Hawaii police ID motorcyclist who died in Keaau collision
Hawaii island police have identified a motorcyclist who died in a traffic collision in Keaau on Sunday as Negozi Young, 32, of Mountain View.
Police responded to the incident at about 10:30 a.m. Sunday on Highway 11, just below the Kamehameha Schools campus in Keaau.
Officers learned that three motorcycles were traveling north when the driver of a 2007 Dodge Caliber sedan attempted to turn left onto the highway from Old Volcano Road.
Young, who was the lead motorcyclist, struck the sedan. The collision caused him to also hit the motorcyclist behind him — a 38-year-old Puna woman on a 2006 Suzuki GSX-R600. She lost control, causing her motorcycle to slide off the roadway.
A third motorcyclist behind them, a 41-year-old Kona man, was able to avoid the sedan and was not injured.
Police said Young was unresponsive at the scene and transported to the Hilo Benioff Medical Center, where he was pronounced dead at 10:45 a.m.
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An autopsy has been ordered to determine the exact cause of death.
At this time, police believe speed to be a factor in this investigation. Police said alcohol and drugs are not believed to be a factor.
The East Hawaii Traffic Enforcement Unit is investigating. Anyone with information should contact Officer Jerome Duarte at 808-961-2339 or Jerome.Duarte@hawaiicounty.gov. Anonymous tips can be reported to Crime Stoppers at 808-961-8300.
Police also reported a motorcycle fatality Monday involving a collision with a Peterbilt dump truck on Highway 130 in Puna. The identity of that motorcyclist, a man believed to be in his 30s and 40s, is being withheld, pending notification of next of kin.
Hawaii island police counted the Highway 11 fatality as the 4th for Hawaii County this year, compared to four at the same time last year.