A man’s body was found along the new Saddle Road, aka Daniel K. Inouye Highway, early Tuesday morning — and police say foul play is suspected.
A man’s body was found along the new Saddle Road, aka Daniel K. Inouye Highway, early Tuesday morning — and police say foul play is suspected.
According to a written statement released late Tuesday afternoon, information was received shortly after 5 a.m. Tuesday that led officers to a silver Honda sport-utility vehicle that was parked against the flow of traffic near the 27-mile marker of the highway.
Responding officers found an unresponsive man in the SUV.
The victim has not been identified, police said, and the case is classified as a coroner’s inquest, pending the outcome of an autopsy, which is scheduled for Wednesday.
The police release said detectives are also investigating an apparently related incident reported Monday night shortly before midnight. Officers responded to a reported shooting in the upper Waiakea Uka area but were unable to find a shooting victim.
A first-degree terroristic threatening investigation has been opened.
Police are asking for any motorists who may have seen the silver Honda SUV parked along the highway, may have seen a man hitchhiking toward the Kona direction or may have picked up a hitchhiker and taken him to Kona to contact either Detective Robert Almeida at 961-2386 or robert.almeida@hawaiicounty.gov or Detective Grant Todd at 961-2385 grant.todd@hawaiicounty.gov.
Those who prefer anonymity may Crime Stoppers at 961-8300.