A 21-year-old Keaau woman died Monday at a Honolulu hospital of injuries suffered in a bizarre traffic incident late Saturday night in Hilo.
A 21-year-old Keaau woman died Monday at a Honolulu hospital of injuries suffered in a bizarre traffic incident late Saturday night in Hilo.
Police identified the victim as Alaysha Fujiyama.
According to police, a report was received at about 11:45 p.m. of an injured woman on Ainako Avenue. It was reported that the Fujiyama was a passenger in a 2004 Toyota Corolla driven by a 40-year-old woman and jumped out of the car while it was in motion. Fujiyama reportedly ran down Ainako Avenue toward Kaumana Drive. According to witnesses, a passing red and white tour van pulled over, and when Fujiyama attempted to board, the van abruptly sped off with Fujiyama falling to the pavement and lying on the road.
Based on descriptions of the van, officers stopped a 2015 Ford F250 Transit on Haili Street at about midnight and arrested a 14-year-old boy for several traffic violations. The tour van was recovered, with the juvenile later released pending further investigation.
Fujiyama was initially taken to Hilo Medical Center with head injuries. She was subsequently transferred to The Queen’s Medical Center in Honolulu in critical condition.
She was pronounced dead Monday at 2 p.m.
The incident has been classified as a negligent homicide and police are asking potential witnesses or anyone with relevant information to call Officer Jared Cabatu of the Hilo Traffic Enforcement Unit at 961-2339 or Crime Stoppers at 961-8300.
This was the 13th traffic-related fatality this year compared to 15 at this time last year.
