Archive for June 2008
June 28, 2008 – Puna Traffic Fatality
A 20-year-old Pahoa man died on Saturday, June 28th of injuries he sustained in a two-vehicle crash at the intersection of Kahakai Boulevard and Opelu Street in Hawaiian Beaches.
The victim was identified as Jonathan W. Tripp-Andrade of Pahoa.
Puna patrol officers responded to a 6:31 p.m. call and determined that the victim was operating a 1989 Honda 2-door sedan traveling northeasterly on Kahakai Boulevard when he collided with a 2008 Chrysler multi-purpose vehicle turning left from Kahakai Boulevard onto Opelu Street.
The Chrysler was driven by a 54-year-old California woman. She and her passengers, a 72-year-old woman and two boys, ages 13 and 15, were not injured.
Police believe that speeding was a factor in the crash. Traffic Enforcement Unit officers initatied a negligent homicide investigation and ordered an autopsy to determine the exact cause of death.
Police ask anyone with information about this crash to call Officer Clarence Davies at 961-8118.
This is the thirteenth traffic fatality on the Big Island this year, compared with sixteen traffic fatalities at this time last year.
From HCPD Report No. C08019975 http://www.hawaiipolice.com/archives/Archive2008/jun08/puna_fatality_06-28-08.html
Queen Ka’ahumanu Highway
The Highway 19 section of Hawai’i Belt Road, also known as Queen Ka’ahumanu Highway, was originally completed in 1975 as a limited access highway, according to the Wikipdia site: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hawai%E2%80%98i_Belt_Road
The current Highway Widening Project is indicative of the disconnect between the community, the County Administration, and the State Department of Transportation. During the public Kona Community Development Plan meetings, the consensus across all groups was to include overpasses (also known as grade separations) at congested intersection locations along Queen Ka’ahumanu Highway. The State DOT has maintained that overpassess is not a popular idea and refused to consider that feature. In previous plans, overpasses were included for the pending Highway widening project, again as a result of community input, but DOT reported that the plan that included overpasses was “lost”.
…more to follow
June 13, 2008 – North Kona Traffic Fatality
A 41-year-old Kamuela man died Friday, June 13th from injuries sustained in a one-vehicle crash on Route 190 between mile markers 18 and 19 in the Puuanahulu area of North Kona. The victim was identified as Chenault D. Bethea of Kamuela.
Kona patrol officers responded to a 12:16 a.m. call and determined that the victim was driving a 1999 Lexus SUV and traveling northbound on Route 190 when he lost control of the vehicle, ran off the road and overturned.
Traffic Enforcement Unit officers initiated a coroner’sinquest to determine the exact cause of death.
This is the twelfth traffic fatality on the Big Island this year, compared to sixteen traffic fatalities at this time last year.
From HCPD Report No. C08018392 http://www.hawaiipolice.com/archives/Archive2008/jun08/puuanahulu_fatality_06-13-08.html http://www.hawaiipolice.com/archives/Archive2008/jun08/puuanahulu_fatality_update_06-13-08.html
