Driver of sedan involved in fatal Pāhoa motorcycle crash faces charges including negligent homicide

Several charges including negligent homicide and manslaughter were filed by Hawai’i Island police against a 36-year-old driver of a sedan involved in a traffic collision that killed a 30-year-old Pāhoa man who was driving a motorcycle Wednesday evening, June 3, in Pāhoa.

Hawai‘i Police Department officially charged Kade Smith of Pāhoa, who was not injured in the collision, with:

• First-degree negligent homicide.
• Manslaughter.
• Operating a vehicle under the influence of an intoxicant.
• Operating a motor vehicle after license suspended or revoked for operating a vehicle under the influence of an intoxicant.
• No motor vehicle insurance policy.

Smith’s bail is set at $553,050. He is detained at the Hilo Police Station pending his initial court appearance scheduled Monday, June 8.

Big Island police responding just before 5:30 p.m. Wednesday to the traffic collision determined that 30-year-old Korey Palmerton was traveling west, or mauka, driving a Honda CBR600F motorcycle on Kahakai Boulevard near the intersection of Niuhi Street when a 2006 Toyota Camry sedan traveling east, or makai, on Kahakai Boulevard attempted to turn left turn onto Niuhi Street.

The motorcycle subsequently struck the sedan.

Palmerton, who was not wearing a helmet, was unresponsive at the scene and transported to Hilo Benioff Medical Center, where he was pronounced dead at 6:18 p.m.

An autopsy ordered to determine Palmerton’s exact cause of death is still pending.

Smith, who was driving the Camry sedan, was initially arrested for:

• Operating a vehicle under the influence of an intoxicant.
• First-degree negligent homicide.
• Operating a motor vehicle after license suspended or revoked for operating a vehicle under the influence of an intoxicant.
• No motor vehicle insurance policy.

Anyone with information about this collision is urged to contact Officer Jerome Duarte at 808-961-2339 or via email at Jerome.Duarte@hawaiipolice.gov.

People can also call the Hawai’i Police Department nonemergency line at 808-935-3311.