A man killed Saturday night in a car crash on Hawai'i Belt Road in South Kona was the Big Island's third traffic fatality in three days.

Police said the man lost control of his 2005 Ford sedan near the 102-mile marker in the Ho'okena area, crossed the center line and crashed into an embankment at about 8:45 p.m.

A male passenger in the car was taken to Kona Community Hospital by fire rescue personnel, police said. His condition was unknown.

Police withheld the man's name until family were notified.

The death is the Big Island's 26th traffic fatality of the year, compared with 25 by this day last year.

The deadly spree began Thursday when Robert A. Ueno, of Kane'ohe, lost control of his 2001 Harley-Davidson motorcycle on Kohala Mountain Road and veered into the path of an oncoming 2007 Dodge station wagon driven by a 47-year-old Honolulu man. The collision occurred at 1:51 p.m.

Ueno was taken to North Hawai'i Community Hospital, where he died at 2:48 p.m. The station-wagon driver suffered minor injuries, police said.

Many motorcyclists from across the Islands are on the Big Island this weekend for the annual Labor Day ride.

On Friday night, a pickup truck crash on Hawai'i Belt Road and the Old Mamalahoa Highway in Papa'ikou claimed the life of Eldon G. Elder Jr., of Pahoa. Police said Elder's truck ran off the right side of the road and struck a cement column that supports the stairs of a pedestrian overpass at 7:51 p.m.

Reach Rod Ohira at rohira@honoluluadvertiser.com.