The female pedestrian killed in a June 2024 traffic collision in Kea‘au has been identified as 20-year-old Densiann Denno of Hilo.

The June 23 accident occurred at Kea‘au-Pahoa Road, Highway 130 near Orchidland Drive in Kea‘au. Upon arriving at the scene, Puna Patrol officers learned that a 2003 Nissan SUV traveling northwest on Highway 130 struck a pedestrian in the middle of the roadway near Orchidland Drive. During the time of the collision it had been raining and visibility was low.

The operator of the 2003 Nissan SUV, 62-year-old man from Volcano, was not injured as a result of this collision.

Denno was unresponsive at the scene and initially transported to Hilo Benioff Medical Center before being flown to Queens Medical Center in critical condition.

As part of their ongoing investigation, the East Hawaiʻi Traffic Enforcement Unit recently learned that Denno died at Queens Medical Center on June 25. An autopsy was conducted at Queens Medical Center, however Hawai‘i Island police are still awaiting those results.

Currently it is not believed that speed or impairment were factors in the collision.