MEDIA RELEASE

A 29-year-old Ocean View man was involved in a two-vehicle traffic casualty on a Tuesday evening (January 19) on Kona Drive and Paradise Parkway in Ocean View.

He was identified as Ling Oniel.

Responding to a 7:15 p.m. call, police determined that an unknown sedan-type vehicle had been traveling north on Paradise Parkway when it failed to yield the right of way at the intersection with Kona Drive and collided with Oniel, who had been traveling west on Kona Drive on a black moped. Following the collision the sedan and its operator fled from the scene prior to police arrival. Through investigation, police were able to determine that the vehicle may have been a white 1992-1995 Honda Civic.

Oniel was taken to Kona Community Hospital, where he was pronounced dead at 11:30 p.m.

The Traffic Enforcement Unit has initiated a negligent homicide investigation. Anyone who witnessed the crash is asked to call Officer Justin Hooser at 326-4646, Ext. 229. Tipsters who prefer to remain anonymous may call Crime Stoppers at 961-8300.

Because this crash occurred in a private subdivision, the death is not counted toward the official traffic fatality count.