Police investigating pedestrian fatality in Kea‘au

A pedestrian was killed in a Friday night traffic collision in Kea‘au.

Puna patrol officers responded shortly after 8:30 p.m. to a report from a passerby of an person on the ground in the Hilo-bound section of Highway 11, between the intersections with Highway 139 and Old Volcano Road. When officers located the man, he was unresponsive with apparent deformities to his lower extremities.

The man was transported to Hilo Medical Center, where he was pronounced dead at 11:07 p.m. The victim is unknown at this time.

Police investigators determined an unknown Hilo-bound vehicle struck the pedestrian, who was pushing a shopping cart in the vicinity of the right shoulder and the No. 2 lane of the highway. It was noted that the man was wearing dark clothing, the area was not lit well and the roadway was wet at the time of the collision.

During the course of the investigation, police dispatch received a call from a man, later identified as 60-year-old Peter Savage of Mountain View, who stated he was possibly the person who struck the pedestrian with his vehicle. Savage was operating a 2003 Honda Pilot SUV, and it was observed with front-end damage consistent to what a collision with a pedestrian would cause.

As a result of the investigation by the Hawai‘i Police Department East Hawai‘i Traffic Enforcement Unit, Savage was arrested for second-degree negligent homicide, accidents involving death or serious bodily injury and duty to give information or render aid. Savage was released, pending further investigation.

The East Hawai‘i Traffic Enforcement Unit continues to investigate.

Anyone who might have witnessed the collision or who has information about it is asked to contact Officer Jerome Duarte at 808-961-2339 or via email at Jerome.Duarte@HawaiiCounty.gov. Tipsters who prefer to remain anonymous can call Crime Stoppers at 808-961-8300.

The Hilo-bound lanes of Highway 11 between Old Volcano Road and Highway 139 were closed for a couple of hours Friday night because of the traffic investigation.

This is the 33rd fatal traffic collision of 2022 compared to 22 during the same time period last year.