Elderly man dies following North Kona crash

A 78-year-old Papa‘ikou man is dead following a single-vehicle collision that occurred in North Kona.

On Tuesday, Hawai‘i Island police responded to the incident at 12:23 p.m. on Māmalahoa Highway (Highway 190) near the 31.5-mile marker. Through the course of their investigation, they learned that a silver 2014 Kia Sorento, driven by a 48-year-old woman from Papa‘ikou, was traveling south had crossed over the solid white fog line (makai side) and drove off the right shoulder of the roadway.

The vehicle then went down an embankment and overturned.

The passenger, Jeffrey Lawrence Gross, was transported to the Kona Community Hospital for treatment and later died. The driver was also taken to Kona hospital where she continues to receive medical attention.

The Area II Traffic Enforcement Unit has initiated a traffic investigation and is asking anyone who may have witnessed the collision to contact Officer Ansel Robinson at 808-326-4646 ext. 229 or email at ansel.robinson@hawaiicounty.gov.

This is the 17th traffic fatality this year compared to eight at this time last year.