Hawai‘i Island police have identified the woman who died in a tragic head-on collision in Honomū on Māmalahoa Highway as 48-year-old Marcella Tellez from California.
Tellez, who was a front seat passenger of the Kia sedan involved in the collision, was unresponsive at the scene and trapped within the vehicle when it caught on fire. She was pronounced dead at 11:09 p.m. at Hilo Medical Center.
The operator of the Ford pickup truck involved in the crash, a 35-year-old man from Pāpa‘aloa, was initially unresponsive at the scene. He was transported to Hilo Medical Center and later flown to Queens Medical Center on Oahu, where he remains in stable condition.
The 22-year-old male operator of the Kia sedan sustained life-threatening injuries and was flown to Queens Medical Center, where he remains in critical, but stable condition.
The occupants of the Kia sedan were related and visiting from California.
The Hawai‘i Police Department’s East Hawaii Traffic Enforcement Unit is conducting a negligent homicide investigation into the incident.
Authorities are urging anyone with information about the collision to contact Officer Johnathan Rapoza at (808) 961-2391 or via email at Johnathan.Rapoza@hawaiicounty.gov. Those who wish to remain anonymous can call Crime Stoppers at (808) 961-8300.