MEDIA RELEASE

A 31-year-old Kona woman was involved in a one-vehicle traffic casualty Saturday morning (December 24) in Kailua-Kona.

She was identified as Bristol Thompson of Kailua-Kona.

Responding to a 2:19 a.m. call Saturday, police determined that Thompson had been taken by personal vehicle to the Kona Community Hospital emergency room with life-threatening injuries sustained in a one-vehicle traffic casualty earlier on Aliʻi Drive.

During the investigation, police learned that Thompson had been a front-seat passenger in a 2015 Dodge Ram truck and that it had been traveling south on Aliʻi Drive just south of the Queen Kalama Avenue intersection, when she fell out of the passenger side of the truck and was run over by one of the rear tires.

After arriving at Kona Community Hospital, Thompson received emergency treatment and was then flown to The Queen’s Medical Center on Oahu.

The operator of the truck, 30-year old James Hezekiah of Kealakekua was arrested on suspicion of first-degree negligent injury and operating a vehicle under the influence of an intoxicant. He was released pending further investigation.

Thompson was pronounced dead at Queen’s at 1:36 p.m. Saturday.

The Traffic Enforcement Unit has taken over the investigation, reclassified the investigation to negligent homicide and ordered an autopsy to determine the exact cause of death.

Police ask anyone who may have witnessed the crash to call Officer Justin Hooser at 326-4646, extension 229. Tipsters who prefer to remain anonymous may call Crime Stoppers at 961-8300.

This is the 32nd traffic fatality this year compared with 17 at this time last year.