Hawai‘i Island police are investigating a two-vehicle collision that killed a man and a woman early Saturday morning, November 9, 2024, in the area of the 24-mile marker on Highway 11 in Volcano.
Responding to a traffic collision at 1:14 a.m., police determined that a blue 2019 Jeep Renegade was traveling south, Ka‘ū bound, on Highway 11 when it crossed the centerline and collided head-on with a white 1996 Toyota Camry operated by a 54-year-old Volcano man.
The driver of the Camry, and his 48-year-old female passenger, also from Volcano, were located unresponsive at the scene. They were transported to the Hilo Benioff Medical Center where they were pronounced deceased at 6:38 a.m. Autopsies have been ordered to determine the exact causes of their deaths.
The operator of the Jeep, a 39-year-old Kona woman, was transported to the Hilo Benioff Medical Center and was subsequently transported to Queens Hospital on Oahu in stable condition.
The identity of both deceased is being withheld pending notification of the next of kin.
The Area I Traffic Enforcement Unit has initiated a negligent homicide investigation. At this time, police believe inattention and drugs may be a factor in this collision.
If anyone has information regarding this collision they are asked to please contact Officer Laurence Davis at (808) 961-2339 or via email at Laurence.Davis@hawaiicounty.gov.
These are the 26th and 27th traffic fatalities of 2024 compared to 15 traffic fatalities this same time last year.