Hawai‘i Island police are investigating a traffic crash involving a Hele-On bus that occurred along Māmalahoa Highway in Laupāhoehoe .

Early yesterday morning, Hāmākua patrol officers discovered that the bus went through a guardrail and down an embankment after the bus had stopped at the Laupāhoehoe Scenic Lookout to pick up passengers.

The driver reported that he had placed the bus in park and walked toward the rear of the vehicle to check for available seating, when the bus began rolling backwards.

Hawai‘i County Fire Department personnel examined the driver and 22 passengers at the scene.

All 22 passengers were transported by ambulances to Hilo Benioff Medical Center for further evaluation. The most serious injury reported was a minor laceration to the hand of an elderly male passenger.

The investigation remains ongoing at this time.