KALAOA, Hawaii – A rollover dump truck crash and fire on Kaiminani Drive in Kona on Saturday killed its driver, who police identified as Kurt T. Okada from Waimea.
Okada was ejected from the truck in the crash near Ahi Ahi Street. Fire crews say he was dead at the scene when they arrived.
Police wrote in a media release:
| Responding to a 12:05 p.m. call, Kona patrol officers determined that the driver was operating a 1992 Kenworth dump truck and traveling west on Kaiminani Drive when he lost control, ran off the right side of the road, struck two parked cars, a rock wall, utility boxes and a tree. The vehicle then caught on fire and also ignited the tree.
The driver, who was not wearing a seatbelt, was ejected from the vehicle. The driver was taken to Kona Community Hospital where he was pronounced dead at 4:04 p.m. It is unknown at this time if alcohol or drugs were involved but speed was a factor in this crash. Anyone with information about this crash is asked to call Officer Thomas Koyanagi at 326-4646, extension 229. This is the 16th traffic fatality on Hawaiʻi Island this year compared with 14 at the same time last year. |
Kaiminani Drive was closed for hours as firefighters extinigushed the fire, and HELCO worked on damaged electrical systems. The Department of Public Works assisted with the road clean-up.
The cause of the crash is under investigation.
by Big Island Video News
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STORY SUMMARY
KALAOA, Hawaii – A rollover dump truck crash and fire on Kaiminani Drive in Kona on Saturday killed its driver, who police identified as Kurt T. Okada from Waimea. Okada was ejected from the truck in the crash near Ahi Ahi Street. Fire crews say he was dead at the scene when they arrived. Police […]