WAIKOLOA, HI – A 45-year-old man from Honoka‘a, identified as David Franklin Roland, was killed in a two-vehicle collision Friday evening on Waikoloa Road (Highway 191). The incident occurred around 9:16 p.m. near the 2-mile marker in Waikoloa.
According to police reports, Roland was operating a gray 2006 Honda VTX1300C motorcycle traveling eastbound (mauka) in the westbound (makai) bicycle lane. He then sideswiped a gray 2023 Jeep Wrangler SUV, which was heading west.
Emergency responders arrived on scene and pronounced Roland dead at 9:33 p.m.
The driver of the Jeep Wrangler, a 45-year-old male, and his passenger, a 43-year-old female, sustained no injuries in the collision.
The Area II Traffic Enforcement Unit has initiated a coroner’s inquest investigation and is asking for anyone who may have witnessed the collision to contact Officer Dayson Taniguchi at (808) 326-4646 ext. 229 or email at dayson.taniguchi@hawaiicounty.gov. Tipsters who prefer to remain anonymous may call Crime Stoppers at (808) 961-8300.
Roland’s death marks the 10th traffic fatality on Hawai’i Island this year, compared to 14 at the same time last year.