UPDATE: Victim in Thursday’s Crash in Pepeekeo Identified

***Updated 2:46 p.m. Friday, April 2.***

Police have identified the victim in Thursday’s crash on Highway 19 as Colin Y. Ishii.

The 54-year-old Pepeekeo resident died after his vehicle crossed the center line and sideswiped an oncoming truck.

Posted 9:31 a.m. Friday, April 2.:

A crash that blocked traffic on Highway 19 for hours Thursday afternoon took the life of a 54-year-old Pepeekeo man.

The identity of the man is being withheld pending positive identification.

Police said the man was driving a 1998 Toyota sedan north when he crossed the centerline near the 9-mile marker and sideswiped a Hilo-bound 2013 Ford flatbed truck.

The driver of the Toyota was taken to Hilo Medical Center where he was pronounced dead at 4:24 p.m..

His passenger, an 82-year-old woman, was taken by fire department rescue personnel to Hilo Medical Center. She did not receive any significant injuries but was confined overnight for observation.

The 29-year-old Naalehu man driving the truck was not injured.

All three occupants of the vehicles were wearing seat belts.

Police said it did not appear that speed, alcohol or drugs were involved in the collision.

Anyone with information on the crash is asked to call Officer Keith Nacis at 961-8119.

The death was the fifth traffic fatality on Big Island public roadways this year, compared to 12 at this time in 2013.

Posted 6:46 p.m. Thursday, April 1:

A fatal two-vehicle crash forced a detour of traffic away from the Pepeekeo portion of Highway 19 for more than three hours this afternoon.

Police said the crash occurred shortly before 2 p.m. near the 9-mile marker.

Traffic was detoured to the Old Mamalahoa Highway, also known as Onomea Scenic Drive, which extends about four miles along the coast from Papaikou to Pepeekeo.

One lane of traffic was reopened at about 5 p.m., and traffic was moving in both directions by 6:30 p.m.

No other information was immediately available.