Hawaii County police say a 22-year-old Kau man was killed yesterday in a highway collision involving a car, a tractor-trailer and a bull.

The accident happened about 5:30 a.m. on Highway 11, near the 57-mile marker in the area of Hilea.

Police say James P.K. Akau was driving a sedan with two passengers when he struck a bull on the roadway. The car then sideswiped a tractor-trailer heading in the opposite direction and overturned.

Akau was killed in the crash. His passengers, a 40-year-old woman and her 9-year-old daughter, were taken to Kau Hospital. The child was later released while the woman was taken to Kona Community Hospital for further treatment.

The driver of the tractor-trailer was not injured.

Police do not know yet if speed, alcohol or drugs were factors in the collision. They have opened a negligent homicide investigation.

Police are asking anyone with information about the crash to call Officer Thomas Koyanagi at 326-4646, ext. 229.

Akau is the 10th traffic fatality on the Big Island this year, compared with five at this time last year.