MEDIA RELEASE

A 62-year-old Washington State man died Saturday (September 5) after being involved in a traffic collision on Route 137 (Kalapana-Kapoho Road), .1 mile south of the 17-mile-marker.

Responding to an 8:38 p.m. call, Puna patrol officers found a 2015 Hyundai 4-door-sedan in the middle of the roadway of Route 137 with the driver inside deceased.

The man was taken to the Hilo Medical Center where he was pronounced dead at 1 a.m. (September 6).

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

Police will wait for the results of an autopsy before counting this death as a traffic fatality and to see if the man suffered a medical condition prior to the crash.

The name of the man is being withheld pending positive identification and notification of the next of kin.

Anyone with information regarding this crash is asked to call Officer Clarence Acob at 935-3311.