Police say a 31-year-old North Kohala man died after his motorcycle collided with a pickup truck early this morning on Queen Kaahumanu Highway, .1 mile north of the 79-mile marker in North Kona.
Police say a 31-year-old North Kohala man died after his motorcycle collided with a pickup truck early this morning on Queen Kaahumanu Highway, .1 mile north of the 79-mile marker in North Kona.
He has been identified as Ira Michael De Mattos.
Officers responding to a 12:26 a.m. call determined that a northbound red 2018 Honda CBR motorcycle had passed another vehicle at a high rate of speed on the opposite shoulder of the roadway. The motorcyclist, who was riding without headlights, was in a passing zone and sideswiped a southbound gray 2016 Chevrolet Silverado pickup, police said.
The motorcyclist was taken to Kona Community Hospital, where he was pronounced dead at 5:10 a.m.
The driver of the pickup, a 49-year-old Kailua-Kona man, and two female passengers weren’t injured.
Police believe that speed is a factor in the collision and an autopsy has been ordered to determine the exact cause of death.
This is the fourth official traffic fatality of 2020 compared to two at this time last year.
Potential witnesses are asked to call the Kona Traffic Enforcement Unit at 326-4646 ext. 229, or Crime Stoppers at 961-8300.
