2 women die in alleged road-rage crash on the Big Island
Two women were killed and another injured in a car crash in Kona just after midnight yesterday, and police are now looking for a Hilo man who might have been involved in the accident.
A caller told police that the two vehicles -- a gray Dodge pickup truck and a brown Honda Civic -- were involved in what was described as a road rage incident at about 12:11 a.m.
Both vehicles were traveling north toward Waimea on Highway 190 near the 23-mile marker, according to the caller. Soon after, police received a dispatch call about the same vehicles, which had been involved in a crash on the same highway near the 16-mile marker in Puuanahulu.
Police found the Honda Civic destroyed on the mauka shoulder of the roadway and the Dodge pickup truck on the opposite side of the roadway.
The two women, 26 and 34 of Hilo, were ejected from the Honda Civic onto the lava field. Both were not breathing and had no pulse, police said.
The women were transported to Kona Community Hospital and pronounced dead at 7:15 a.m. yesterday. The names of the victims were withheld pending positive identification from family members.
Shortly after police arrived at the crash scene, they learned that a 20-year-old woman from Hilo, who was believed to be in the Honda Civic at the time of the crash, was transported to the North Hawaii Community Hospital by an unknown motorist.
Police shut down Highway 190 for several hours to investigate. The highway is described to be a rural roadway with no homes nearby.
Police are looking for a 41-year-old Hilo man who was described as the driver of the Dodge pickup truck.
Detective Mark Haggerty of the Kona Criminal Investigation Section said the caller who initially informed police about the road rage incident from a cellular phone described the driver of the Dodge pickup truck as her ex-boyfriend. Haggerty said the 41-year-old man has a criminal record.
"We think it involves more than just road rage," Haggerty said.
Detectives are continuing their investigation.
Anyone with information on the crash is asked to call Haggerty at 326-4646, ext. 277, or the nonemergency telephone number at 935-3311.
Those who want to remain anonymous may call CrimeStoppers at 961-8300 in Hilo or 329-8181 in Kona.