Elderly Hilo man dies following crash possibly caused by a medical emergency

HONOLULU (HawaiiNewsNow) - A man is dead after a crash in Hilo Wednesday morning. Authorities say it was likely a result of a medical condition behind the wheel.

It happened before 9 a.m. Hilo officers were dispatched to the scene of the crash at the intersection of Kapiolani Street and West Kawili Street.

Investigators found that a man driving a 2012 Toyota Highlander was heading east on West Kawili Street and made a left onto Kapiolani.

The vehicle continued into the right-hand shoulder of Kapiolani Street and smashed through a chain-link fence. The vehicle then stopped within an active construction area.

Police said there were no signs of braking, and no other vehicles were involved.

First responders arrived and the 76-year-old man was found to be unresponsive. He was taken by ambulance to the Hilo Medical Center where he was pronounced dead.

He has since been publicly identified by police as Charles Kanoho of Hilo.

An autopsy will confirm his exact cause of death. This marks Hawaii Islandʻs 13th traffic death on the roads this year, compared to 25 this same time last year.

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