Naʻalehu Man Dies in ATV Accident

An all-terrain vehicle accident in the Green Sands Beach area of Ka’u left a man dead Wednesday.

The Hawai’i Police Department reports that 63-year-old Keith J. Leonatti of Na’alehu was operating his ATV on a private four-wheel-drive gravel road near Green Sands Beach before 12 p.m. Wednesday when he failed to return to meet with his family at the beach.

Family members located Leonatti unresponsive and trapped beneath the ATV at 12:41 p.m.

Leonatti was officially pronounced dead at Hilo Medical Center at 8:09 p.m.

The case has been classified as a coroner’s inquest and an autopsy has been order to determine Leonatti’s exact cause of death.

Police say the crash involved an ATV on private property and therefore would not be counted as a traffic fatality.

Anyone who may have seen the crash or who had information about the incident should call Officer Christopher Kapua-Allison directly at 326-4646, extension 229 or contact the Police Department’s non-emergency line at 935-3311.

Individuals who prefer to remain anonymous can call the Big Island Crime Stoppers number at 961-8300.