Diotalevi, 59, apparently lost control of a Toyota multi-purpose vehicle while driving mauka on Akaka Falls Road at 11:08 a.m. yesterday. The vehicle hit a guard rail and overturned, blocking both lanes of traffic, police said. She was pronounced dead at 1:38 p.m. at Hilo Medical Center.

Diotalevi, who lived in Waimea, earned her master’s degree in fine arts in improvisational theater at the University of Hawai'i, where she also appeared in kabuki theater, said Terry Nevin, her longtime friend.

She also was active with Honolulu Theatre for Youth and Hawaii Performing Arts Theatre (now called Manoa Valley Theatre) before moving to the Big Island in 1979, Nevin said.

On the Big Island she performed in various productions before founding Jubelieve Productions, which most recently produced shows using puppets and music to teach children about environmental protection.

Funeral arrangements are pending.

Her death was the 20th traffic fatality so far this year on the Big Island, compared with 12 at the same time last year.

A second car crash at 3:45 p.m. yesterday, in which a car knocked over utility poles near the Humane Society-Hawai'i Island facility in Kea'au, caused no injuries.