Volcano, HI – Pedestrian Loses Life in Hit & Run on Hwy 11 near Glenwood Park

Volcano, HI (May 17, 2023) – Police in Volcano responded to the scene of a fatal pedestrian accident that happened on Sunday, May 14. The crash was a hit-and-run that occurred for reasons still being investigated by authorities. 

Reports show the incident occurred when 34-year-old Patrick Murphy struck a pedestrian in his 2003 Toyota Tacoma. Police and other responders were seen at the site on Highway 11 near Glenwood Park. 

Murphy stated he had initially thought he struck a pig, however, he left the scene and returned to find the man he had hit lying in a grassy area of the park, unresponsive. Paramedics transported the victim to Hilo Medical Center, where he was pronounced deceased. 

We want to offer our sincere condolences to the family of the victim at this time. No further information has been reported. 

Hawaii Car Crashes

In Hawaii, car crashes happen all the time. Some of the most common causes of car accidents throughout Hawaii include:  

• Drunk driving
• Speeding
• Driver distraction

In the United States, distracted driving has become a serious problem. The country sees more than 400,000 auto collisions yearly caused by the actions of distracted drivers. These accidents end the lives of more than 3,000 individuals per year. On average, negligent driving contributes to approximately 90% of reported car accidents in the United States each year. These crashes end the lives of more than 3,000 people per year on average. In the past decade, driver negligence has risen to the top of the list of car accident causes in the United States due to the ever-increasing popularity of smartphones, and people’s inability to put them down, even while behind the wheel. 

Driver negligence is punishable by hefty fines and even time spent in jail. This is a selfish and dangerous act that puts everyone involved at severe risk for personal injuries and even losing their lives. In the past decade, the commonality of negligent driving has risen exponentially. For example, roughly 10% of all car wrecks reported in the United States involve a drunk or high driver. This type of driver negligence causes over 10,000 fatalities annually in the United States. Drunk driving is a common reason that car wrecks occur in Hawaii, however, the most commonly seen form of driver negligence displayed is distracted driving. 

Despite harsh penalties brought against those who choose to drive negligently in Hawaii, driver negligence continues to cause the majority of car accidents in the state. Throughout the United States, more than 90% of auto collisions are caused by some type of negligent driving.

At the law firm of Leavitt, Yamane & Soldner, our experienced team is dedicated to providing personalized legal services to wrongful death victims and their grieving families. If you lost a loved one in an accident due to a negligent driver, contact our wrongful death attorneys in Hawaii today by calling (808) 537-2525 and scheduling a free, no-obligation assessment of your potential claim.

While absolutely no amount of money will change the severity of the situation at hand, a successful outcome to a wrongful death claim can give surviving relatives the financial recovery and justice they are entitled.

Notes: Our team of writers uses secondary sources such as news reports and local and state police incident reports to create these posts. We have not independently verified all of the facts surrounding this particular accident, so if there is any incorrect information, please contact Leavitt, Yamane & Soldner right away so that we can update the post right away to reflect the most accurate information available. 

Disclaimer: This post is not a solicitation for business. The photo used in this post was not taken at the actual accident scene. None of the information in this post is intended to be legal advice or medical advice. If you are injured in an accident, seek medical assistance immediately.