Soldier killed, another injured in training incident on Big Island

NORTH KONA, HAWAII (HawaiiNewsNow) - A soldier assigned to the 25th Infantry Division died Sunday during a training incident in North Kona, according to the U.S. Army.

A second soldier was also injured, Army officials said.

The crash happened around 7:30 a.m. at the intersection of the Daniel K. Inouye Highway and Mamalahoa Highway.

Big Island police said a tractor-trailer – driven by a 20-year-old man with a 36-year-old passenger – was traveling westbound on the highway when the driver lost control, struck a guardrail and ended up in an embankment.

Both the driver and passenger were taken to the Kona Community Hospital, where the passenger was pronounced dead and the driver was treated for his injuries.

The passenger's identity is being withheld pending next-of-kin notification.

Roads were shut down for more than 14 hours, but they have since reopened.

This is the 11th traffc-related fatality this year compared with 10 at this time last year.

This story will be updated.

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