UPDATED MEDIA RELEASE (6/1/09)

A father and son from Pāhoa were killed Sunday (May 31) in a motor vehicle/motorcycle crash at the intersection of Route 130 and Ainaloa Boulevard in Pāhoa.

The father was identified as 36-year-old Thomas G. Reimer and his son as 7-year-old Thomas G. Reimer Jr.

Responding to a 7:33 p.m. call, Puna patrol officers and traffic investigators determined that the father and son were on a 2006 Suzuki motorcycle and traveling south on Route 130 when a 21-year-old Pāhoa man operating a 1999 Mazda four-door-sedan traveling north initiated a left turn onto Ainaloa Boulevard.

The father and son, who were wearing helmets, were transported to the Hilo Medical Center where they were pronounced dead at 11:33 p.m.

The 21-year-old Pāhoa man identified as Bobby K. Jimenez was arrested for two counts of negligent homicide, promoting a detrimental drug in the third degree and no-no fault insurance. He is being held at the East Hawaii Detention Center pending further investigation.

It is unknown at this time if speed, alcohol or drugs are involved.

Traffic Enforcement Unit officers have requested autopsies to determine the exact cause of death.

Police ask anyone with information on this crash call Officer Michael Molnar at 961-2293.

This is the 10th and 11th traffic fatality on the Big Island this year compared with 11 at this time last year.

Karin Stanton/Hawaii247.com Contributing Editor (5/31/09)

Two people, including a child, were killed Sunday evening (May 31) in a traffic collision in Ainaloa, the county Fire Department reported.

Emergency crews were called about 7:30 p.m. to the scene of an accident involving a car and motorcycle at the intersection of Highway 130 and Ainaloa Boulevard.

Crews arrived to find two victims laying in road about 15-20 feet from the motorcycle, which was engulfed in flames. Both – one a child and the other a 36-year-old man – “were without signs of life,” the Fire Department reported. Both were wearing helmets.

A witness reported the motorcycle was heading toward Pahoa and collided with a sedan that was turning left onto Highway 130 from Ainaloa Boulevard.

Bystanders avoided moving the victims, but did cover them with blankets to shield them from a light drizzle.

No further information was released.