MEDIA RELEASE

A 47-year-old Kamuela man died Saturday (June 1) after being involved in a one-vehicle crash at the intersection of Kaiminani Drive and Wainana Place in North Kona.

The driver was identified as Kurt T. Okada, of a Kamuela address.

Responding to a 12:05 p.m. call, Kona patrol officers determined that the driver was operating a 1992 Kenworth dump truck and traveling west on Kaiminani Drive when he lost control, ran off the right side of the road, struck two parked cars, a rock wall, utility boxes and a tree. The vehicle then caught on fire and also ignited the tree.

The driver, who was not wearing a seatbelt, was ejected from the vehicle.

The driver was taken to Kona Community Hospital where he was pronounced dead at 4:04 p.m.

It is unknown at this time if alcohol or drugs were involved but speed was a factor in this crash.

Anyone with information about this crash is asked to call Officer Thomas Koyanagi at 326-4646, extension 229.

This is the 16th traffic fatality on Hawaiʻi Island this year compared with14 at the same time last year.