HAWAII COUNTY, Hawaii — A 39-year-old man was arrested following a fatal crash involving a Tesla and two motorcycles on Daniel K. Inouye Highway at 3:07 p.m. on September 5.
According to the Hawaii Police Department, Jeremy Alexander Fleming was driving a blue 2023 Tesla westbound when he attempted to pass vehicles by entering the eastbound lane, colliding with a 2020 Harley-Davidson motorcycle. This motorcycle then struck a second motorcycle traveling in the same direction.
Both motorcycles, along with the Tesla, went down an embankment beside the highway. The Harley-Davidson rider, 55-year-old William Joseph Simao of Hilo, sustained fatal injuries and was pronounced dead at the scene around 3:55 p.m. The second motorcyclist, a 35-year-old Hilo man, was seriously injured and initially taken to North Hawaii Community Hospital before being airlifted to The Queen’s Medical Center on Oahu for further treatment.
Debris from the collision also damaged a red 2014 Dodge Ram 1500 pickup truck, but its occupants were unharmed. Poor weather conditions, including light rain, water on the road, and thick fog, significantly hampered visibility at the time of the incident.
Fleming suffered minor injuries and was treated before being arrested around 7:55 p.m. He faces charges of manslaughter, second-degree negligent homicide, and first-degree negligent injury, with bail set at $400,000. He remains in custody at the Kealakehe Police Station.
The investigation is ongoing, with all vehicles involved secured for evidence. Police are urging witnesses or anyone with information to contact Officer Adam Roberg at 808-326-4646, extension 3229. This incident marks the 24th traffic fatality on the Big Island in 2026, surpassing last year’s total of 16 for the same period. Authorities have reminded drivers to exercise caution, especially in poor weather conditions.