Kailua-Kona Man Dies After 3-Car Crash

An 84-year-old Kailua-Kona man died following a three-vehicle collision on Wednesday, Feb. 3, 2021, at the intersection of Kamanu Street and Oluwalu Street in Kailua-Kona.

The man has been positively identified as Cornell Bruce Linerud.

Hawaii Police Department responded to the crash at 12:09 p.m. Through the course of the investigation, officers determined a light-green 2018 Subaru SUV driven by Linerud made a left turn in front of a brown 2015 Toyota Tacoma pickup truck.

The Subaru was struck on the passenger side causing the vehicle to spin and subsequently strike a gold-colored 2005 Toyota Camry that was stopped at the intersection. Linerud was later transported to the Kona Community Hospital by a privately-owned vehicle for initial treatment.

He was later flown to the Queens Medical Center on Oahu where he later died.

The 59-year-old male driver of the Toyota Tacoma and 77-year-old male driver of the Toyota Camry were not seriously injured in the crash.

An autopsy has been ordered to determine the exact cause of death.

A coroner’s inquest investigation has been initiated by the Area II Traffic Enforcement Unit. Police are asking for anyone who may have witnessed the collision to contact Officer Kelsey Kobayashi at 808-326-4646 ext. 229 or email at Kelsey.kobayashi@hawaiicounty.gov.

This is the fifth traffic fatality this year compared to three at this time last year.