Big Island police yesterday arrested the driver of a car involved in a fatal crash in North Kohala for investigation of driving under the influence of an intoxicant, excessive speeding and inattentive driving.

A 24-year-old woman passenger ejected from the 2006 Lexus sedan, which crashed on Akoni Pule Highway, 247 feet south of the 6-mile marker, was killed. Police are not identifying the victim until next of kin is notified.

The driver of the car, identified by Traffic Enforcement Unit investigators as 25-year-old Micah N. Thomas of Hawi, was arrested for first-degree negligent homicide and later released pending further investigation.

Traffic Enforcement Unit supervisor Sgt. Christopher D. Gali said the crash may have occurred late Friday night. The driver, who was unconscious after the crash, awoke at about early yesterday morning and called for help. North Kohala police responded to the scene at 3:57 a.m. and determined that Thomas was operating a 2006 Lexus sedan north on Akoni Pule Highway when he apparently lost control of the car, which crossed the center line, ran off the left side of the road and overturned, Gali said.

The woman passenger was not wearing a seatbelt.

Thomas was arrested at 1:14 p.m. yesterday after being treated and released for injuries at North Hawai'i Community Hospital.

Police are seeking witnesses to the crash. Anyone with information can call Officer Marvin Troutman at 808-326-4646, ext. 229.

The death is the Big Island's 27th traffic fatality in 2008 as compared to 35 at the same time last year.