A man and a woman died Tuesday afternoon after their vehicle went out of control on the Queen Kaahumanu Highway in North Kona and crashed into a lava field.
Police responding to a 2:40 p.m. call found that the 2007 Honda two-door sedan had rolled after leaving the roadway near the 79-mile marker, just north of Kiholo Bay.
The vehicle, which was heading south, traveled about 200 feet into the lava field, a fire department spokesman said.
The driver was identified as Michelle K. Deluz, 24, of Waikoloa. Gary J. Fergerstrom, 24, of Kailua-Kona, was her passenger.
Police said neither of the car’s occupants was wearing a seat belt and both were ejected from the vehicle.
Deluz was dead at the scene.
Fergerstrom was flown by a fire department helicopter to North Community Hospital where he died at 3:34 p.m.
Police said it was unknown whether alcohol or drugs were involved, but speed was a factor in the crash.
Anyone with information is asked to call Officer Thomas Koyanagi at 326-4646, Ext. 229.
Traffic was detoured to Highway 190 for several hours while police conducted their investigation.
The fatalities raised the death toll on Big Island public roads to 14 for the year, compared to 14 at this point in 2012.
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