Police have identified the woman driver and her male passenger who were killed in a collision between a dump truck and a sport-utility vehicle Thursday afternoon in Kona.
Police have identified the woman driver and her male passenger who were killed in a collision between a dump truck and a sport-utility vehicle Thursday afternoon in Kona.
They are 45-year-old Jeongah Hyun of Kailua-Kona and 46-year-old Iljung Nam of South Korea.
Officers responding to a 12:35 p.m. call Thursday determined that Hyun was driving a silver 2006 Mazda SUV on Highway 190 just north of the 31.5-mile marker, when she crossed left of center and was broadsided by a southbound white 2013 Peterbilt dump truck.
The truck driver, a 46-year-old Honokaa man, was taken to Kona Community Hospital with minor injuries. Hyun and Nam, her passenger, were pronounced dead at the hospital at 6:10 p.m. and 6:11 p.m., respectively.
Autopsies have been ordered and a negligent homicide investigation has been opened.
There are now 30 official traffic fatalities this year compared to 17 at this time last year.
Anyone who witnessed the crash is asked to call Officer Christopher Kapua-Allison at 326-4646, ext. 229 or Crime Stoppers at 961-8300.