Police Seek Information About Kona Traffic Incident

Big Island police are piecing together what happened during a traffic incident last weekend in Kona and are asking for the public’s assistance.

According to a media release from police, officers received a report at about 3:04 a.m. Sunday, April 24, about a blue Kymco moped on the ground on the southbound shoulder of Kuakini Highway, south of Sea View Circle in Kailua-Kona. Upon arriving at the scene, police found a man, later identified as 61-year-old Robert Tinao of Kailua-Kona, who was the apparent operator of the vehicle, on the ground a short distance from the moped.

Tinao was taken to the Kona Community Hospital and later transported to the Queen’s Medical Center on O‘ahu, where he remains in critical but stable condition, for further treatment of his injuries.

“After reviewing the scene and evidence, officers believe that the moped was rear-ended by another vehicle, causing Tinao to be ejected from the moped,” said the media release.

Anyone who might have witnessed the incident or who has information about it is urged to contact Officer Andrew Walters at 808-326-4646, ext. 253, or via email at Andrew.Walters@HawaiiCounty.gov. They also can call the police department’s nonemergency number at 808-935-3311 or Crime Stoppers at 808-961-8300.