Washington Man Dies in Single-Vehicle Traffic Crash

A traffic collision on Kalapana-Kapoho Road, also known as Route 137, on Saturday led to the death of a man from the state of Washington.

According to the Hawai’i Police Department, police responded to an 8:38 p.m. call that led them to the scene, located a tenth of a mile south of the 17 mile-marker, where they found a 2015 Hyundai 4-door-sedan in the middle of the roadway with the driver inside deceased.

The 62-year-old man was taken to the Hilo Medical Center, where he was pronounced dead at 1 a.m. Sunday.

A coroner’s inquest case has been ordered by Traffic Enforcement Unit officers. An autopsy has also been ordered to determine the exact cause of death.

Before counting the death as a traffic fatality, police will wait for results of the autopsy to determine if the man suffered a medical condition before the accident.

Police are withholding the 62-year-old’s identity pending postitive identification and notification of the family.

Anyone who has information regarding the incident should call Officer Clarence Acob at 935-3311.