Hawaii news reports that a police officer has been arrested after he struck and killed a bicyclist on Hawaii's Big Island. The victim was visiting from Michigan and died at the scene. The accident occurred on Waikoloa Road, on a notoriously dangerous stretch of road. The crash took place on a steep incline that follows a bend in the road. The 30-year-old officer has been arrested on suspicion of negligent homicide.
Bicycles have a legal right to share most roads with cars and trucks, but this right is often overlooked or violated by careless or negligent drivers, resulting in injuries or death for the cyclist.
Further, whenever bike accidents occur, it's important to evaluate all of the different factors that may have played a role. For example – in addition to the driver's conduct, what were the weather conditions at the time an incident occurred? Here investigators mention that the sun was rising and may have been in the eyes of both men at the time of the crash.
Reports also state that this stretch of road was dangerous – no curb existed at this location – near mile marker 11. Where conditions of the roadway, its design or maintenance, are dangerous and make it more likely that accidents may occur the entity responsible for the roadway may be found partially or wholly responsible for roadway negligence.
Here the driver has been arrested and his conduct remains under investigation.
For more information or if you or a loved one has been injured in a bike accident, please contact the dedicated Hawaii bicycle accident lawyers at Bostwick & Peterson, LLP for an immediate consultation.
