A two-car collision on Highway 19 near Mana Road last night killed three people, including a 5-year-old boy, and badly injured two others, Big Island police said.

Speed and alcohol are suspected as factors in the accident and police have opened a negligent homicide investigation.

According to police at the Waimea station, the accident was reported at 11:48 p.m. after a Chevrolet station wagon and an SUV on Highway 19 collided head-on.

Police said the Chevrolet driven by a 32-year-old Waimea man crossed the center line and collided head on with the Mercury SUV driven by a 47-year-old Keaau man.

When police arrived at 11:54 p.m., one person in critical condition was in the roadway. The Waimea man and a 30-year-old Waimea woman were pinned in the station wagon and their two children, a 5-year-old boy and an 8-year-old girl, were in the back seat.

Rescuers used the Jaws of Life to remove the victims from the vehicle.

The Waimea man and woman and the boy who were in the Chevrolet station wagon died at the North Hawaii Community Hospital.

Police identified the woman as Suzanne Ng, 30, of Waimea. The boy was identified as Aidon Ng, 5. Authorities had not identified the 32-year-old Waimea man who was driving the Chevrolet this morning.

However, the Waimea woman's family identified her as Suzanne Leong. Suzanne's sister said the driver of the Chevrolet station wagon was named Brandon Ng, and the children had his last name.

The sister said the 8-year-old girl is named Aimee Ng. Aimee is at The Queen's Medical Center and may need surgery but is expected to recover from her injuries, the family told the Advertiser.

The Keaau man was taken to The Queen's Medical Center in guarded condition, police said.

A vehicle fire at the accident scene had been put out with portable extinguishers when police arrived.

The two-lane highway was closed for hours because of the accident.