(BIVN) – Police are investigating the death of an elderly man, who passed away days after he was crushed between two vehicles on the side of the road near Honokaʻa last month.

The man has been identified as 84-year old Colin Perry of Waimea.

From the Hawaiʻi Police Department:

On Sunday, December 15, 2024, at 12:42 p.m., Hāmākua Patrol officers responded to a vehicle collision along a gravel road to the north of the intersection of Mamane Street and Māmalahoa Highway, (Highway 19). It was reported that Perry was driving his 2016 Toyota Tacoma pickup truck when the front left corner of the truck struck the rear of a 2005 Honda Pilot that was parked and unattended.

Officers learned that Perry exited his truck, which ended up rolling backwards, pinning him between the driver’s side of his vehicle and the rear of the Honda Pilot. Perry was able to free himself from between the vehicles and bystanders were able to prevent the truck from moving any further.

Hawai‘i Fire Department medical personnel transported Perry to the North Hawaii Community Hospital for internal injuries, where he was stabilized, but in critical condition. Perry was later flown to Queens Medical Center on Oahu for further treatment. On Tuesday, January 7, 2025, police were able to confirm that Perry died on December 20, 2024, at 2:18 p.m. on Oahu.

Police noted that because the incident occurred on private property, it is considered a non-traffic fatality and does not count towards the 29 fatalities on Hawai‘i Island public roadways. “When including this most recent tragic incident,” police added, “there were two non-traffic (not on a public roadway) fatalities in 2024, compared with one non-traffic fatalities in 2023.”

Police say the Area I Traffic Enforcement Unit is continuing this investigation. Anyone who may have witnessed the collision can contact Officer Jerome Duarte at (808) 961-2339, or via email at Jerome.Duarte@hawaiicounty.gov.