Donkey accident results in death

Advertiser Staff

KA'UPULEHU, Hawai'i — A motorcycle rider who struck a donkey on Queen Ka'ahumanu state highway in North Kona on Tuesday died yesterday.

Police identified him as Michael Carta, 29, of the Orchidland Estates subdivision near Kea'au.

Sgt. Samuel Jelsma said police were called at 7:57 p.m. Tuesday after Carta struck and killed a wild donkey near the 86-mile marker, by Hualalai Resort. The donkeys, known as "Kona nightingales," live upslope of the resort area, which has several "Donkey Crossing" signs.

Carta was pronounced dead at 12:45 a.m. at Kona Community Hospital, Jelsma said. He said investigators had ordered an autopsy.

The rider was "traveling at a high rate of speed and overtaking other southbound vehicles before the crash," Jelsma said.

It was the 19th highway fatality on the Big Island this year, compared with 20 at this time in 2001.