(BIVN) – The Hawaiʻi Police Department issued the following media release on Tuesday, following a fatal crash that closed the Daniel K. Inouye Highway for hours.

Just after 10:13 a.m. today, South Hilo Patrol officers and members of the Hawaiʻi Police Department Traffic Enforcement Unit responded to a two-vehicle traffic crash near the intersection of Daniel K. Inouye Highway and Kaumana Drive.

Police have preliminarily determined that a 2001 Kenworth semi-truck driven by a 58-year-old male party from Hilo was traveling Kona bound on Daniel K. Inouye Highway approaching the Kaumana Drive Intersection.

A 2007 Honda sports utility vehicle driven by an unidentified party initiated a left-hand turn from the Hilo bound lanes of Daniel K. Inouye Highway to head onto Kaumana Drive.

The Honda SUV was struck broadside by the semi-truck. The driver who has yet to be positively identified was dead at the scene and later pronounced officially at Hilo Medical Center. The driver of the semi-truck was also injured and taken to Hilo Medical Center for treatment.

The Hawaiʻi Police Department Traffic Enforcement Unit has initiated a Negligent Homicide investigation in this case.

Anyone with information should call Officer Clifford Antonio at (808) 961-2339 or email at clifford.antonio@hawaiicounty.gov.