MEDIA RELEASE

A 61-year-old woman from Oregon died Thursday (May 19) from injuries she received in a motor vehicle/motorcycle crash at the intersection of Route 130 and Ainaloa Boulevard in Pāhoa.

Responding to a 9:57 p.m. call on Wednesday (May 18), Puna patrol officers determined that a 52-year-old Pāhoa man was operating a 1994 Toyota four-door sedan and traveling west on Route 130 when he made a left turn onto Ainaloa Boulevard, failing to yield the right of way, and collided with a 1997 Honda motorcycle traveling east.

The motorcycle operator, a 55-year-old man from New Jersey and the female victim were ejected from the motorcycle. They were not wearing helmets.

Fire Rescue personnel took both of them to Hilo Medical Center.

The man was in serious condition and had undergone surgery.

The victim in this case was pronounced dead at 12:22 a.m. Thursday.

The driver of the Toyota and his two female passengers, ages 45 and 23, were treated for minor injuries and released.

Police believe that alcohol was a factor in this crash.

Traffic Enforcement Unit officers have ordered an autopsy to determine the exact cause of death.

The name of the victim is being withheld pending positive identification and notification of the next of kin.

The driver of the Toyota, identified as Fidel Jeronimo Bautista Jr. was arrested on suspicion of negligent homicide, negligent injury, operating a vehicle under the influence of an intoxicant, no operator’s license and no insurance.

He is being held at the Hilo police cellblock pending further investigation.

This is the 9th traffic fatality on the Big Island this year compared with 10 at this time last year.

UPDATED MEDIA RELEASE (5/23/11)

Police traffic investigators have charged 52-year-old Fidel Jeronimo Bautista Jr. of Pāhoa, with manslaughter, negligent homicide in the first degree, negligent injury in the first degree, operating a vehicle under the influence of an intoxicant, no operator’s license and no insurance stemming from a motor vehicle/motorcycle crash at the intersection of Route 130 and Ainaloa Boulevard on May 18.

Bautista was operating a 1994 Toyota four-door sedan and traveling west on Route 130 when he made a left turn onto Ainaloa Boulevard, failing to yield the right of way, and collided with a 1997 Honda motorcycle traveling east.

A 61-year-old woman from Vancouver, Washington, who was a passenger on the motorcycle, died Thursday (May 19) at Hilo Medical Center from the injuries she received.

Her name is being withheld pending positive identification.

Bail for Bautista totaled $60,250. He remains confined at the Hilo police cellblock.

UPDATED MEDIA RELEASE (5/23/11)

Police traffic investigators have identified a 61-year-old woman who died Thursday (May 19) from injuries she received in a motor vehicle/motorcycle crash at the intersection of Route 130 and Ainaloa Boulevard on Wednesday evening (May 18).

The victim was identified as Linda McKee of Vancouver, Washington.