There were two fatal traffic crashes Saturday on the Big Island, one in East Hawaii and the other in West Hawaii.
The first was a two-car head-on collision at about 1 p.m. on Highway 11 at the Namakanipaio campground intersection in Hawaii Volcanoes National Park on Saturday afternoon.
The second was a crash involving a car and a bicylist, which occurred at about 1:45 p.m. at the corner of Queen Kaahumanu Highway and Kealakehe Parkway in Kailua-Kona, according to police.
In the Kona crash, the bicylist, a 42-year-old Kailua-Kona man, was killed. Police have not released his identity.
The car’s driver, identified in police logs as 60-year-old Jeffrey Pelham of Kawaihae, was uninjured. He was arrested on suspicion of DUI and first-degree negligent homicide, and was later released from police custody pending further investigation.
In the HVNP crash, rangers reported that a white Hyundai Elantra and a blue Toyota Scion were involved. The Hyundai’s driver, a 65-year-old New Jersey man, died at the scene despite CPR from rangers, bystanders and county Fire Department medics. The other driver, a 33-year-old local man, was taken to Hilo Medical Center by ambulance. No information was given on his condition.
Both men were the only occupants of their cars.
The collision caused a complete closure of Highway 11 between mile markers 32 and 34 for several hours Saturday afternoon while officials investigated the scene. Both lanes of the highway were open by 6:30 p.m. Saturday.
Local police are helping park rangers investigate.
The identification of the victims has not yet been released.
Witnesses to the Volcano accident are asked to call HVNP dispatch at 985-6170, and may remain anonymous.
Email John Burnett at jburnett@hawaiitribune-herald.com,
