Driver Dies After Crashing Into Church Building

A 40-year-old Hilo man died early today after running his vehicle through a fence and into a church on Kinoole Street just north of the Puainako Street intersection.

Tracy S. Pack was traveling south on Kinoole Street when he lost control of his 2006 Mercedes Benz four-door sedan and failed to make a turn in the road, police said today.

The vehicle came to a rest against the Kinoole Baptist Church at 1815 Kinoole St.

After running through a chain-link fence, the vehicle crashed into these steps on the back side of the Kinoole Baptist Church. Photo by Dave Smith.

Pack was taken to Hilo Medical Center where he was pronounced dead at 4:28 a.m.

Police believe that both speed and alcohol were factors in the crash that occurred shortly before 2 a.m.

Pack was not wearing a seat belt.

The death was the second traffic fatality of the year compared with none at this time in 2013.

***Updated 12:16 p.m. to correct time of death.***