KAILUA-KONA — A reported hit-and-run crash Monday night in South Kona resulted in the death of a Nevada man. The crash marked the third fatality on Hawaii Island’s roads in less than 24 hours.
The Hawaii Fire Department responded to the incident at 7:23 p.m. off of Highway 11 at mile marker 88 near Hoopuloa Road. When they arrived on scene, they found the motorcyclist, who had been reportedly struck by a vehicle, on the side of the road beside the northbound lane.
Hawaii Police have identified the victim as 61-year-old Mark Brown.
During the investigation into the crash, police determined that a black 2009 Cadillac sedan had been traveling north when it rear-ended Brown, who was riding a Harley Davidson and was also traveling north.
After the collision, the motorist fled the scene in the sedan. However, the vehicle was found abandoned a half-mile north of the scene at the intersection of Highway 11 and Lani Kona Road, according to a press release from Hawaii Police.
A woman was observed walking away from the sedan and was last seen walking barefoot east on Lani Kona Road.
Brown was about 100 feet from the bike with a bystander performing CPR when emergency responders arrived on scene, according to a press release from the fire department.
According to the release, Advanced Life Support and High Performance CPR efforts were performed. However, those efforts ended when it was determined that the victim had suffered injuries that were “incompatible with life,” the release states.
Brown was declared dead at Kona Community Hospital at 11:23 p.m.
Police believe in attention was a factor in the crash, but it’s not immediately known if alcohol and/or drugs were also a factor.
An autopsy has been ordered to determine the exact cause of death. Anyone who may have witnessed the crash should call Officer Kimo Keliipaakaua at 326-4646, ext. 229.
Brown’s death is the third fatality this week. A 48-year-old Hilo man was killed in a single-vehicle crash in Keaau in the early hours of Monday morning. Later that day, 45-year-old Kailua-Kona man was killed after a four-car collision on Highway 190 at mile marker 18.
Police say this is the 19th traffic fatality this year compared with 20 last year.
