UPDATE: Driver in Fatal Kona Crash Arrested

***Updated at 3:55 p.m.***

Police today arrested the driver in Wednesday night’s fatal crash on suspicion of driving under the influence and negligent homicide.

Daphne Reeves, 44, of Kailua-Kona was also arrested for inattentive driving.

She was not charged pending further investigation.

David Arbon, 45, of Kawaihae, a passenger in Reeves’ vehicle, later died from injuries sustained in the crash.

Reeves was driving northbound when she rear-ended a boom truck that was stopped in the outside lane.

The incident occurred about 300 yards north of the Palani Road intersection.

Posted at 9:46 a.m.:

A 45-year-old Kawaihae man died Wednesday night after a vehicle struck a boom truck stopped along the Queen Ka`ahumanu Highway in Kailua-Kona.

Police said the man, identified as David Arbon, was a passenger in a 2002 Chrysler PT Cruiser that rear-ended the Chevrolet C7500 boom truck which was stopped in the outside lane while workers were replacing burned-out street lamps.

County paramedics responding to an 8:23 p.m. call to 911 had to extricate both of the car’s occupants from the wreck before taking them to Kona Community Hospital.

The driver, a 44-year-old Kailua-Kona woman, was being treated for what were described as serious injuries. Police said she was wearing a seat belt.

Arbon, who was not wearing a seat belt, was pronounced dead at 9:06 p.m.

Police said neither of the workers, a 53-year-old Hilo man inside the boom truck’s raised bucket and a 41-year-old Keaau man standing nearby, was injured. Police said the truck was being operated by a private contractor.

Police said both speed and alcohol appeared to be factors in the crash.

A negligent homicide case has been initiated.

Anyone with information on the crash is asked to call Officer Thomas Koyanagi at 326-4646, Ext. 229.

The death was the 17^th Big Island traffic fatality of the year compared to 14 at this time in 2012.