MEDIA RELEASE

A 50-year-old Salt Lake City, Utah, man died following a single-vehicle crash Wednesday afternoon (September 10) in Kohala Ranch.

His name is being withheld pending positive identification.

Responding to a 4:05 p.m. call, police determined that a 1998 Toyota Land Rover sports-utility vehicle was traveling east on Kohala Ranch Road at the intersection with Olomana Road when he lost control, ran off the right shoulder and collided with a tree.

Fire Rescue took him to North Hawaiʻi Community Hospital, where he was pronounced dead at 4:55 pm.

The driver was not wearing a seat belt. It is unknown at this time if alcohol or drugs were involved.

Traffic Enforcement Unit officers have initiated a coroner’s inquest investigation and have ordered an autopsy to determine the exact cause of death.

Police ask anyone who witnessed the crash to call Sergeant Marvin Troutman at 324-4646, extension 229. Tipsters who prefer to remain anonymous may call the islandwide Crime Stoppers number at 961-8300. All Crime Stoppers information is kept confidential.

Because this crash occurred in private gated subdivision, the death is not counted toward the official traffic fatality count.