MEDIA RELEASE

A 43-year-old Ocean View man died Thursday, Dec. 4 from injuries he sustained in a motor vehicle/pedestrian crash on Hokulani Boulevard in the Hawaii Ocean View Ranchos subdivision in Ka‘u.

Responding to a 1:08 a.m. call, Ka‘u patrol officers determined the victim was walking on Hokulani Boulevard sometime between 11:30 p.m. and 1:08 a.m. when he was struck by an unknown vehicle.

The driver fled the scene.

A resident returning home found the pedestrian in the middle of the road.

The victim was taken to Kona Community Hospital, where he was pronounced dead at 10:11 a.m. His name is being withheld pending notification of next of kin.

Traffic Enforcement Unit officers have initiated negligent homicide and accident involving injury or death investigations and have ordered an autopsy to determine the exact cause of death.

Police ask anyone with information about the driver or vehicle involved in this case to call Officer Marvin Troutman at 326-4646, extension 229.

Tipsters who prefer to remain anonymous may call Crime Stoppers at 961-8300 in Hilo or 329-8181 in Kona. All Crime Stoppers calls are kept confidential.

Because this fatality occurred in a private subdivision, it will not be counted toward the official fatality count.

This was the second pedestrian fatality on the Big Island in less than a week.

Stanette Medeiros, 33, of Kapaau, died Nov. 29 after she was struck on Akoni Pule Highway, 545 feet west of the 24-mile marker. The driver in that fatality also fled the scene, but returned and was arrested on suspicion of negligent homicide, operating a vehicle under the influence of an intoxicant, accident involving injury or death and prohibitions involving minors.