Hawi Man Dead Following Monday Motorcycle Crash
A 65-year-old Hawi man died Tuesday of injuries sustained in a motorcycle crash the day before in North Kohala.
Police said James R. Wright was traveling east on the Akoni-Pule Highway about a mile west of Pololu Loop Monday when he crossed the center line and ran off the left side of the roadway and struck a tree.
Wright and his passenger, a 49-year-old Hawi woman, were taken to North Hawaii Community Hospital following the incident reported to police at 1:21 p.m. Both were later flown to The Queen’s Medical Center in Honolulu where Wright was pronounced dead at 10:59 p.m. Tuesday.
Police said it was unknown whether speed, alcohol or drugs were factors in the crash.
The death was the 26th traffic fatality on Big Island public roads this year compared to 15 at this time in 2011.