A 22-year-old Kona man died in a single-motorcycle traffic crash Sunday morning in North Kona near the 22-mile marker of Mamalahoa Highway (Highway 190).
A 22-year-old Kona man died in a single-motorcycle traffic crash Sunday morning in North Kona near the 22-mile marker of Mamalahoa Highway (Highway 190).
He has been identified as Jonathan Salinas of Kailua-Kona.
Responding to a 9:43 a.m. call, police determined that Salinas had been riding a 2009 Yamaha motorcycle south on Mamalahoa Highway near the 22-mile marker when he failed to negotiate a turn in the roadway. This caused him to run off onto the east shoulder of the roadway and into a rock embankment. The impact caused Salinas to be ejected from the motorcycle. He was taken to Kona Community Hospital with head injuries, where he was pronounced dead at 2:10 p.m.
Police believe speed and inattention were factors in the crash, but it was not immediately known if alcohol was a factor.
An autopsy has been ordered to determine the exact cause of death.
The Traffic Enforcement Unit has initiated a coroner’s inquest investigation and is asking anyone who witnessed the crash to call Officer Justin Hooser at 326-4646, ext. 229. Tipsters who prefer to remain anonymous may call Crime Stoppers at 961-8300.
This is the ninth traffic fatality this year compared with seven at this time last year.