Police seeking driver in fatal pedestrian hit-and-run in Ka‘u

Hawai‘i Island police are searching for the driver of an unknown vehicle involved in a fatal pedestrian hit-and-run collision in Ka‘u early Sunday morning, in which a 25-year-old Kealakekua man died.

The Feb. 4 collision took place on Mamalahoa Highway, near the intersection of Kaalualu Road in Na‘alehu.

The pedestrian has been positively identified Kevin Adonay Catellanos-Rodriguez.

Responding to a call at 3:59 a.m., police investigators determined that an unknown vehicle, possibly a pickup truck or SUV-type vehicle, struck Catellanos-Rodriguez. He was possibly in the middle of the northbound (Kona) lane. After striking the pedestrian, the unknown vehicle then fled the area in an unknown direction. Catellanos-Rodriguez was transported to the Kona Community Hospital where he was later pronounced dead at 10:28 a.m.   

Failure to render aid when a person is injured or killed in a traffic collision is a Class “B” felony that may be punishable by up to 10 years in prison and fines up to $25,000. Failure to render aid is covered under section 291C-14 of the Hawai‘i Revised Statutes.

The Area II Traffic Enforcement Unit has initiated a negligent homicide investigation and is asking for anyone who may have witnessed the collision to contact Officer Dayson Taniguchi at 808-326-4646, ext. 229, or email at dayson.taniguchi@hawaiicounty.gov. Tipsters who prefer to remain anonymous may call Crime Stoppers at 808-961-8300.

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