Police Identify Kona Man Who Died in Crash

The Hawai‘i Police Department has identified a Kona man who died from injuries sustained in a two-vehicle crash that occurred on near the 8.5-mile marker on Daniel K. Inouye Highway on the morning of Tuesday, June 2.

The 65-year-old male victim has been identified as Charles K. Makanui Jr., of Kona. A 58-year-old man, the other driver in the collision, was taken to Hilo Medical Center with non-life threatening injuries.

Police reported that a little before 10:15 a.m. Tuesday morning, a 2007 Honda sports utility vehicle driven by an unidentified party initiated a left-hand turn from the Hilo bound lanes of Daniel K. Inouye Highway to head onto Kaumana Drive.

The Honda SUV was struck broadside by the semi-truck. The driver of the Honda, who has yet to be positively identified, was dead at the scene and later pronounced officially at Hilo Medical Center, police said. The driver of the semi-truck was also injured and taken to Hilo Medical Center for treatment.

The Traffic Enforcement Unit has initiated a Negligent Homicide investigation and is asking that anyone who may have witnessed or the crash or may have any information regarding the incident to contact Officer Clifford Antonio of the Area I Traffic Enforcement Unit at 808-961-2339.

This is the ninth traffic fatality this year compared to nine at this time last year.