Update: Hawai‘i Island police identify motorcycle rider killed in Kona crash

11:04 a.m. June 21: The 29-year-old motorcycle rider has been positively identified as Zachary Mcquaid Stubbs.

Original post: A 29-year-old Kailua-Kona man who was riding a motorcycle died in a two-vehicle crash Wednesday night at the intersection of Palani Road and Kealaka‘a Street in Kona.

The victim remains unidentified, pending positive identification and notification of next of kin.

Police responded to the crash just before 8 p.m. Wednesday. They learned that a black 2023 Yamaha XTZ690 traveling north on Palani Road had passed several vehicles on Palani Road and then disregarded a red stop light before driving between two stopped vehicles at the intersection.

The motorcycle then clipped a silver 2006 Nissan Frontier pickup truck being driven by a 59-year-old Kailua-Kona man. After clipping the Nissan, the 29-year-old rider was ejected from the motorcycle and struck a utility pole.

The victim was transported to Kona Community Hospital, where he was pronounced dead at 10:04 p.m.

Police think speed was a factor in the crash. The motorcycle rider also was not wearing a helmet.

A coroner’s inquest investigation has been initiated. The Hawai‘i Police Department asks anyone who might have witnessed the crash to contact Officer Ansel Robinson at 808-326-4646, ext. 229, or via email at ansel.robinson@hawaiicounty.gov.

This is the 19th traffic fatality of 2024. By this time last year, there had been only 9.