Paauilo,HI : Man killed as crashes shut down highways on Hawaii island on June, Wednesday 7th 2017

It’s been a deadly year on Hawaii island roads.

The latest traffic-related death occurred at around 9 a.m. Wednesday on Highway 19, north of Paauilo, near the 36 mile marker.

According to the Hawaii Police Department, a sedan heading south toward Hilo crossed the center line and collided head-on with a northbound dump truck towing a flatbed trailer. Upon impact, the sedan was pushed backward into the path of a 2016 Jeep Wrangler, which was also Hilo-bound.

Officials say the sedan’s male driver was thrown from the vehicle and pinned beneath the flat-bed trailer. He was taken to Hilo Medical Center where he was pronounced dead.

His name is being withheld pending positive identification and notification of his family. An autopsy has been ordered to determine his exact cause of death.

Police say the people in the dump truck and Jeep were not seriously hurt and refused medical treatment.

The highway was closed in both directions for several hours as police investigated and cleared the scene.

Police ask anyone who witnessed the crash to call Officer Clarence Acob at 961-2293. Tipsters who prefer to remain anonymous may call the island-wide Crime Stoppers at 961-8300.

Later Wednesday, a separate crash shut down another major thoroughfare.

It happened at around 1 p.m. at the 13-mile marker of Daniel K. Inouye Highway, otherwise known as Saddle Road.

We’re still working to get details, but video into our newsroom shows a vehicle involved was flipped upside down with a portion crushed in the crash.

Both lanes of the highway were closed until about 3:30 p.m.

The Hawaii Police Department says 20 people died from traffic crashes on Hawaii island this year, compared to 10 deaths at the same time last year.

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Man killed as crashes shut down highways on Hawaii island