Man Killed in Hōnaunau Traffic Collision

Big Island police reported early Thursday evening, Feb. 24, that a Hōnaunau man died in a traffic crash.

According to a community message from the Hawai’i Police Department, a 58-year-old man, identified as Matthew Sean Saxbury of Hōnaunau, died following a two-vehicle collision Thursday on an unnamed side road off the mauka side of Māmalahoa Highway, less than a mile south of the 106-mile marker in South Kona.

Responding to a 9:56 a.m. call, police determined a black 1998 Jeep Wrangler was towing a silver 2015 Dodge Hellcat Challenger when the Challenger rear-ended the Jeep, causing the driver of the Jeep to be ejected from his vehicle.

Saxbury was transported to the Kona Community Hospital where he was later pronounced dead at 2:16 p.m.

The driver of the Dodge Hellcat Challenger, a 66-year-old man from Captain Cook, was not injured.

An autopsy was ordered to determine Saxbury’s exact cause of death.

HPD’s Area II Traffic Enforcement Unit initiated a negligent homicide investigation and is asking anyone who might have witnessed the collision to contact Officer Len Hamakado at 808-326-4646, ext. 229, or via email at len.hamakado@hawaiicounty.gov.

Tipsters who prefer to remain anonymous can call Crime Stoppers at 808-961-8300.

This is the eighth traffic fatality this year compared to five during the same time period last year.