MEDIA RELEASE
A 48-year-old Kamuela man died early this week after crashing on an all-terrain vehicle. He was identified as Willard Rapoza Jr.
Sometime between 10 a.m. and noon Sunday (October 19), Rapoza left his Waimea home on an ATV and failed to return home. At 1:25 p.m. Monday, relatives found him unresponsive and trapped beneath the ATV on a trail on private property located off Fire Road 15 in Waimea.
He was officially pronounced dead at Kona Community Hospital at 7:30 p.m. Monday (October 20).
Police have classified this case as a coroner’s inquest. An autopsy has been ordered to determine the exact cause of death.
Because this crash involved an ATV on private property, it is not counted as a traffic fatality for official statistical purposes.
Police ask anyone with any information about this crash to call the Police Department’s non-emergency line at 935-3311 or Officer Kimo Keliipaakaua at 326-4545, extension 229.
Tipsters who prefer to remain anonymous may call the islandwide Crime Stoppers number at 961-8300. Crime Stoppers doesn’t record calls or subscribe to caller ID. All Crime Stoppers information is kept confidential.