Motorcyclist, 19, dies in head-on crash in North Kona
A 19-year-old Kailua-Kona motorcyclist died in a two-vehicle crash on Queen Kaahumanu Highway in North Kona Friday evening, Hawaii island police said today.
According to a police report, at about 6:42 p.m., the man was riding a 2024 Kawasaki Ninja sport bike, traveling south on the highway and “overtaking multiple vehicles simultaneously” when he crashed head-on into a 2021 Honda CR-V driven by a 65-year-old Kamuela woman.
He was transported to Kona Community Hospital, where he was pronounced dead at 10:53 p.m., police said. The Honda driver suffered minor injuries, was taken to the North Hawaii Community Hospital and later released, they said.
Hawaii island police said they initiated a coroner’s inquest investigation and ask that any witnesses contact Officer Dayson Taniguchi at 326-4646, ext. 229, or at dayson.taniguchi@hawaiicounty.gov. Tipsters who prefer to remain anonymous may call Crime Stoppers at (808) 961-8300.
This was the Big Island’s 28th traffic fatality this year compared with 15 at this time last year.