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Big Island traffic victims identified

Big Island police have identified the victims in two recent fatal traffic accidents as Jay Okubo, 43, of Hilo, and Brian Underwood, 37, of Kona.

Okubo was struck while retrieving parts of his wheel that had fallen off his car after a tire blowout at about 3:30 a.m. Tuesday on state Highway 130, the Kea'au-Pahoa Road.

He was picking up the lug nuts from his 1998 Toyota in the middle of the Kea'au-bound lane, near the 2-mile marker, when he was hit by a 1993 Nissan pickup truck, police said.

Okubo was taken to Hilo Medical Center, where he died at 6:41 a.m.

Underwood, a Kailua resident, died at 1:01 a.m. Tuesday at Kona Community Hospital. He was injured when he lost control of a 1992 Chevy van he was driving at 8:29 p.m. Monday on Ahikawa Street.

The van struck two cars and several trees before it flipped over and landed upright in a residential lot.

Police seek clues to body at park

Police investigators are looking into whether the man found dead Tuesday at Ala Moana Park was assaulted in connection with a fight that occurred Saturday at Kewalo Basin.

The city medical examiner's office said yesterday that although the victim hasn't been identified and the exact cause of death hasn't been determined, the autopsy supports classification of the case as a homicide.

Lt. Bill Kato, who heads the homicide detail, said the injuries are consistent with a beating.

Because the man was found at the Kewalo end of the park yesterday morning, some patrol officers thought the case could be related to the Saturday fight among some fishermen, Kato said.