Teen critically hurt after being struck by Big Island police car

A 16-year-old pedestrian was critically injured when he was struck by a Hawaii island police car in Hilo late Friday night.

According to a Hawaii Police Department report, the boy “was walking in the middle of the roadway and not in a marked crosswalk” on Kapiolani Street, between Mohouli and West Lanikaula streets, when an on-duty officer driving a marked police department 2008 Ford four-door sedan struck him.

The boy was taken to Hilo Medical Center Emergency Room with head injuries, and remains in critical condition, police said today.

The report said the teen was wearing dark clothing and walking in an area with “minimal lighting” and that it was raining at the time of the collision.

“The vehicle was not operating in an emergency response mode and did have the blue pilot light illuminated,” the police report said. “At the time of the collision there was minimal lighting in the area and it was raining.”

The East Hawaii Traffic Enforcement Unit responded and is investigating, and the department’s Office of Professional Standards has opened an internal inquiry. Police said they believe that speed was not a factor in the crash.

The officer, an 18-year veteran of the department, has been placed on administrative leave pending investigation which is standard procedure, according to the report.

Anyone with information on the collision should contact Officer Laurence Davis at (808) 961-2339 or at Laurence.Davis@hawaiicounty.gov. Tipsters who prefer to remain anonymous may call Crime Stoppers at (808) 961-8300.