Hawaii island police believe speed and inattention were factors in a three-vehicle collision that killed three people in Glenwood Sunday night.

The crash occurred on Highway 11 near the 18 mile marker just after 7:30 p.m.

Police said a 2016 Toyota 4Runner traveling south on the highway crossed the double solid yellow line and struck a 2020 Jeep sport utility vehicle traveling north head-on.

After the initial collision, a 2000 Volvo sedan traveling south struck the Toyota.

Police said two occupants in the Jeep, a male driver and front female passenger, were unresponsive at the scene and taken to the Hilo Medical Center where they were pronounced dead at 12:25 a.m. today.

The female driver of the Toyota was also unresponsive at the scene and taken to the hospital where she was pronounced dead at 12:25 a.m.

The ages of the three people killed in the crash were not immediately available. Positive identification is pending notification of next of kin.

Police said the Volvo driver described as a 72-year-old man was treated and released at the hospital for minor injuries.

Officers closed Highway 11 for six hours while police investigated the crash.

The East Hawaii Traffic Enforcement Unit has initiated a negligent homicide investigation. Anyone who may have witnessed the collision is asked to call officer Jerome Duarte at 808-961-2339 or email Jerome.Duarte@HawaiiCounty.gov.

This is the sixth traffic-related fatality on Hawaii island this year compared to two at the same time last year.

Four of the six traffic fatalities have occurred in the past four days.