Police have identified the two people killed in a three-vehicle traffic collision Tuesday afternoon on Highway 130 at the 2-mile marker in Keaau as 26-year-old Sean Magee and 86-year-old Eleanor Benedict, both of Keaau. ADVERTISING Police have identified the two
Police have identified the two people killed in a three-vehicle traffic collision Tuesday afternoon on Highway 130 at the 2-mile marker in Keaau as 26-year-old Sean Magee and 86-year-old Eleanor Benedict, both of Keaau.
Their deaths are the 18th and 19th official traffic fatalities of the year, compared to 11 for all of 2014.
Officers responding to a 1:46 p.m. call determined that Magee was driving a 2012 Nissan 4-door sedan east when he crossed the centerline and collided with a westbound 2002 Toyota RAV 4 sport-utility vehicle driven by a 54-year-old Keaau woman. After the initial collision, the SUV collided with a westbound 2005 Ford pickup truck driven by a 24-year-old Hilo man.
The driver of the SUV was taken to Hilo Medical Center and treated for a leg injury. Benedict was a passenger in the SUV.
The pickup truck driver wasn’t injured.
Police do not yet know if speed, alcohol or drugs were involved in the fatal crash. A negligent homicide investigation has been opened.
The crash closed Highway 130 for five hours and backed up traffic for miles during afternoon peak traffic hours.
Anyone with information is asked to call Officer Keith Nacis at 961-8119.
