Harley Rider Killed at Pahoa Intersection

A 51-year-old Puna man has died from injuries he sustained in a motorcycle crash at the intersection of Route 130 and Leilani Avenue in Pāhoa.

Responding to a 9:54 a.m. call on Wednesday, May 2, Puna patrol officers determined that the man was operating a 2007 Harley Davidson motorcycle and traveling west on Leilani Avenue when he failed to stop at the stop sign. The rider went through the intersection, onto a private driveway and struck a gate.

He was taken to Hilo Medical Center where he was pronounced dead at 1:12 p.m.

The name of the victim is being withheld pending notification of the next of kin.

Traffic Enforcement Unit officers have initiated coroner’s inquest case and have ordered an autopsy to determine the exact cause of death.

Because this death occurred on a private road, it is not counted toward the official traffic fatality count, which stands at 12.

It is unknown at this time if alcohol or drugs were involved but speed was a factor in this crash. However, police say that the motorcycle rider was not wearing a helmet at the time of the accident.