A 19-year-old man was arrested on suspicion of second-degree murder after allegedly beating his 38-year-old mother to death in the middle of Farrington Highway during a drug-fueled rage late Tuesday night.

Honolulu police officers responding to a witness report of the attack at 11:40 p.m. Tuesday said they found the woman unresponsive on the highway near Upena Street.

Joshua N. McPeek was arrested at 12:17 a.m. Wednesday at 84-0570 Farrington Highway.

Emergency Medical Serv­ices workers were unable to resuscitate the victim, who suffered severe wounds to her face.

Speaking at a 10:30 a.m. news conference Wednesday outside the Honolulu Police Department’s Alapai Street station, Lt. Deena Thoemmes, head of the Homicide Detail, said the woman was pronounced dead at 12:06 a.m. Police said she was related to McPeek but did not disclose how. Sources told the Honolulu Star-Advertiser she was his mother.

The victim’s name was not immediately released by the Department of the Medical Examiner.

“Based on the investigation so far, it has been determined that the victim and the suspect were arguing before the suspect physically assaulted her, causing her to sustain fatal injuries,” said Thoemmes, speaking to reporters. “The investigation is ongoing and no further information will be provided at this time.”

McPeek remained in custody as the police investigation continued.

According to sources, after his arrest, McPeek allegedly told the responding officers that he had no recollection of assaulting his mother and he appeared to be under the influence of illegal narcotics. McPeek reportedly worked a landscaping job and moonlighted as a “security officer” at an illegal game room, sources said.

Police said the woman’s injuries appeared to be the result of physical force without the use of a weapon.

It is McPeek’s second arrest as an adult, but he has a juvenile criminal record, according to court documents.

On Jan. 7, McPeek was arrested in Waianae and cited for seven traffic crimes including reckless driving, driving without insurance and driving more than 81 mph. Six of those charges were dismissed with prejudice and he was fined $267 for not complying with the speed limit.

As a juvenile, McPeek was arrested and charged with criminal trespassing, second-­degree assault, third-degree assault and robbery in the second-­degree three times, according to court records.

As a younger teen, McPeek teamed with two half brothers and three other 14-year-olds paddling for Kawaihae Canoe Club on Hawaii island to win a Hawaiian Canoe Racing Association state championship in his age group in 2017. McPeek’s crew finished the 2017 Moku O Hawaii Outrigger Canoe Racing Association season undefeated, according to a July 23, 2017, article in the Hawaii Tribune-Herald.

At the time, he was scheduled to attend Kanu o ka ‘Aina, a bilingual, Hawaiian-­focused public charter school in Waimea, according to the article. At age 14 McPeek was 6 feet, 1 inch tall and wanted to play football and basketball with a brother at Honokaa High and Intermediate School.