A Hawaii island man was killed Sunday when he was struck by a pickup truck while walking on the shoulder of Kawaihae Road in the Waimea area of the South Kohala district.
Police said the victim was walking eastbound on the east shoulder of the roadway just after 1 a.m. when he was hit by a 27-year-old Kapaau man driving a 2010 Nissan Frontier that had been traveling west on Kawaihae Road near the Door of Faith Church.
The truck veered across the highway and hit the male pedestrian, police said. The victim was taken in critical condition to Kona Community Hospital, where he died at 6:20 a.m.
The driver was arrested on suspicion of first-degree negligent homicide and released pending further investigation.
Police believe that alcohol and speed were factors.
Police are asking anyone who might have witnessed the crash to call officer Kimo Keliipaakaua at 326-4646, ext. 229. Tipsters who prefer to remain anonymous may call CrimeStoppers at 961-8300.
Search of vehicle leads to drug charges
Hawaii island police charged a 52-year-old man with numerous drug and weapon violations after he was stopped Friday with another man wanted for an unrelated narcotics investigation.
Police were looking for 50-year-old Benjamin Fleming of Captain Cook when they located him riding in a sport utility vehicle driven by Richard Castro, who does not have a permanent address, along the 74-5000 block of Queen Kaahumanu Highway.
During the stop, officers saw drug paraphernalia associated with methamphetamine use inside the vehicle, police said.
On Saturday police recovered 60.4 grams of a substance suspected to be crystal methamphetamine, 15.5 grams of suspected cocaine, 14.5 grams of suspected heroin, 10.6 grams of suspected marijuana, paraphernalia associated with narcotics use and distribution, one unspent .32-caliber round and $4,174 in cash during a search of the vehicle.
Castro was charged Sunday with first-degree promotion of a dangerous drug, second-degree promotion of a dangerous drug, third-degree promotion of a dangerous drug, meth trafficking, possessing drug paraphernalia and ammunition-related charges. His bail was set at $146,000.
Fleming was charged with third-degree promotion of a dangerous drug, third-degree promotion of a detrimental drug and possessing drug paraphernalia. He was released on $2,250 bail.
3 injured when motorcycle and SUV collide
A 29-year-old Ewa Beach man was in critical condition Saturday night after crashing his motorcycle into the rear of a sport utility vehicle on the H-3 freeway, Honolulu police said.
The motorcyclist was traveling northbound on the H-3 near Halawa at about 9:25 p.m. at a high rate of speed when he collided with the vehicle in front of him, police said.
Both occupants in the SUV, a 37-year-old Honolulu man and a 34-year-old Kaneohe man, were taken in good condition to a hospital.
Speed is believed to be a factor, police said.
The Ewa Beach man was wearing a helmet at the time of the collision, police said.
Police closed all Kaneohe-bound lanes of the H-3 for about four hours to investigate.
