KAILUA-KONA — A 50-year-old Kailua-Kona man was struck and killed by a vehicle Thursday morning while walking on Queen Kaahumanu Highway.
The victim was identified as Peter Sigrah.
Police and fire rescue personnel responded to the scene about 5:50 a.m. to find an adult female good Samaritan performing CPR on the man near the intersection of Queen Kaahumanu Highway and the entrance to Kaloko-Honokohau National Historical Park, according to a Hawaii Fire Department media release.
Rescue personnel took over resuscitation efforts, but were unsuccessful in attempts to revive the victim. Police said Sigrah was transported to Kona Community Hospital, where he was pronounced dead.
Hawaii Police Department officers on the scene said the man was wearing dark clothing and it is unclear whether he was walking north or south at the time of the crash. It was also dark when the collision occurred.
Officers told West Hawaii Today the man appeared to be walking just within the southbound lane, just mauka of the bike lane. He was reportedly struck by a 2006 Ford F-450 operated by a Waimea man.
Police said the man driving the truck is cooperating with the investigation. He was uninjured and has not been arrested.
Officers also noted speed and alcohol do not appear to be factors in the crash.
The southbound lane of Queen Kaahumanu Highway, which was closed for police to investigate the crash, was reopened around 9:30 a.m.
Officers from the Traffic Enforcement Unit have initiated a negligent homicide investigation and are asking for anyone who may have witnessed the crash to call Officer Kimo Keliipaakaua at 326-4646, ext. 229.
Ed Brown, Goodfellow Bros Inc. vice president of Hawaii operations, said the company was bringing an accident reconstructionist to the scene later in the day to document for the contractor what happened. Goodfellow Bros Inc. is the design-build contractor for the ongoing construction along that portion of the highway as part of Phase II of the Queen Kaahumanu widening project.
This is the fifth traffic fatality this year compared with four at this time last year.