A 24-year-old Hilo man lost his life early Tuesday morning after his motorcycle collided head-on with a sedan on South Glenwood Road in Mountain View, marking the 17th traffic fatality on Hawaii Island so far in 2026.
Hawaii Island police responded to the crash at 12:51 a.m. on June 16, 2026, after receiving a call about a traffic collision in the Mountain View area of Puna.
When officers arrived, they found that Tyler Napoleon had been operating a 2023 Kawasaki Ninja motorcycle southbound on South Glenwood Road when he began passing multiple vehicles in a clearly marked no-passing zone.
While riding in the northbound lane to pass the vehicles ahead of him, Napoleon approached a blind hill and had no time to avoid the oncoming traffic.
A 2014 Mazda four-door sedan, traveling northbound toward Volcano, met him head-on at the crest of the hill. The impact was severe.
Napoleon was rushed to Hilo Benioff Medical Center, where medical staff worked to save him. Despite their efforts, he succumbed to his injuries and was pronounced dead at 5:49 a.m.
An autopsy has been ordered to determine the official cause of death. The driver of the Mazda, a 43-year-old man from Volcano, was not injured in the collision.
Speed and Reckless Driving Cited as Factors in the Fatal Crash
Investigators with the East Hawaii Traffic Enforcement Unit say speed and reckless driving are believed to be contributing factors in the crash. Police also noted that Napoleon was not wearing a helmet at the time of the collision, which, under Hawaii law, is required for all motorcycle operators and passengers.
South Glenwood Road is a two-lane rural road that winds through the forested areas of Puna. The stretch where the crash occurred includes hills that limit visibility for drivers traveling in both directions, making the no-passing zones along that corridor particularly critical for safety.
Passing on such a road at speed, especially in the early hours of the morning, gave Napoleon little chance of seeing or avoiding the oncoming sedan in time.
This tragedy marks the 17th traffic death on Hawaii Island in 2026, a sharp increase compared to the 13 fatalities recorded at this same point last year.
The growing number of traffic deaths on the island has raised ongoing concerns among local officials and law enforcement about road safety, speed, and the dangers of aggressive driving on rural roads.
Anyone with additional information about the collision is asked to contact Officer Jerome Duarte at 808-961-2339 or by email at Jerome.Duarte@hawaiipolice.gov. Those who wish to remain anonymous can contact Crime Stoppers at 808-961-8300. The investigation remains active and ongoing.
