A 19-year-old Kailua-Kona woman died following a single-vehicle collision on Friday near the three-mile marker of Ke Ala O Keawe Road in Captain Cook. The woman has not been positively identified pending dental records.
A 19-year-old Kailua-Kona woman died following a single-vehicle collision on Friday near the three-mile marker of Ke Ala O Keawe Road in Captain Cook. The woman has not been positively identified pending dental records.
Responding to a 7 p.m. call, police determined that a black 2010 Infinity four-door sedan heading east (mauka) on Ke Ala O Keawe Road crossed the double solid yellow line, drove into a guardrail, went airborne, and then down an embankment. After the vehicle came to rest at the bottom of the embankment, it was fully engulfed in fire. The 19-year-old female passenger was transported to the Kona Community Hospital where she was pronounced dead at 10:40 p.m.
The driver of the Infinity sedan, 19-year-old Roman Kozinskiy, and a 24-year-old female passenger, both from Kailua-Kona, were taken to Kona Community Hospital for treatment. Both the driver and other female passenger were treated and later released.
Kozinskiy was arrested for negligent homicide and operating a vehicle under the influence of an intoxicant (OVUII). He is currently being held at the Kona cell block pending further investigation.
Police believe speed and impairment were factors. An autopsy has been ordered to determine the exact cause of death.
The Area II Traffic Enforcement Unit has initiated a negligent homicide investigation and is asking for anyone who may have witnessed the accident to contact Officer Cory Gray at (808) 326-4646 ext. 229 or email at cory.gray@hawaiicounty.gov. Anonymous tipsters may call Crime Stoppers at (808) 961-8300.
This is the sixth traffic fatality this year compared to six at this time last year.
